Our baby boy will be 6 months old tomorrow and I honestly don't know where the time went. Joshua just keeps on growin' and has found his way out of his 3-6 month clothing and into bigger sizes. Crazy! Our sweet boy has truly morphed into a happy, easy going, loving, amazing baby...sorry to gush, but we don't miss the days of colic one bit! We've truly fallen head over heels for our Josh.
So our newest developments were chronicled 2 weeks ago-but then our lovely computer froze and I decided to sleep instead of re-write. I knew you'd forgive me. Joshua is now eating rice cereal with all his fruits and veggies-he particularly loves pears and peas...go figure. He is also a big time mover. No more tummy time for our Joshua-he flips himself over the second he's put down. Not only are we good at rolling (in all directions) but we can't be left alone for any amount of time because we like to roll into other rooms. Joshua is also getting quite good at sitting. He loves to fake us out and pretend he is going to fall and then bounce back-much like those clown dolls that you punch but can never knock over. Needless to say, its ADORABLE! Joshua is also a great sleeper. He has a routine-YAHOO!!! Rise around 6am, nap at 11ish, nap at 4ish, bed at 8pm. We have figured out that if we put Josh in a diaper one size bigger than his daytime diaper he can make it through the night without a diaper change, which is wonderful for all parties. Other news includes the discovery of our feet (which we love to put in our mouth-yuck) and a new found love for grabbing and smacking with our hands. We affectionately refer to him as Bam-bam the cave man due to these two new activities of his. Ah babies!!!
Chris' news includes a new schedules at work. He is still on the night shift (boo) but there is a light at the end of the tunnel (we hope). As of the second week of April Chris will join a new squad for the transition to 12 hour shifts. This means a set schedule for the year (yay) and the ability to rotate to day shift every three month (bigger YAY). He is a little apprehensive about his new squad as they are yet to name his Sargent, but I know Chris and he will make the best of whatever he's given-he always does.
As for me, life has been a bit hectic. I started my new job, and while I am learning a lot and enjoy the 1-1 interaction with my assigned families I don't know that the schedule is going to work for me next year. I feel like I spend very little time with Joshua due to the number of night visits I am required to complete AND since Chris will be require to be at work at 6:00pm in a month that really makes my scheduled more difficult to complete-as I need to be home so he can get to work on time. So we will see. Truth be told, I miss the classroom. I have been applying for lots of jobs in the area, but have had no return. To give a bit of perspective I recently attended a small teaching recruitment fair (for 12 schools) and there were more than 1,000 people who showed up. So needless to say the competition is steep and I'm just not sure what next year will hold for me...but, I will keep you informed as things take shape.
That's all for now, thanks for reading ...now go get outside and enjoy this beautiful Spring weather! xoxo
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Just for Maegan (and Melanie too!)
This post is just for Miss Maegan and her wonderful Mom Melanie.
I needed to do a special post just for you to thank you for your prayers and encouragement, I am blessed to know you both and am so thankful you have allowed me to share a friendship with your family. I am so glad you got the Internet for Christmas. Do you have an new email address? I promise a letter will be on its way to you very, very soon. I got yours and it made me smile. I LOVED the picture. Thank you SO much for the beautiful Christmas ornament and the wonderful planner (I use it everyday-it is where I put all my PAT appointments). Several families have already complimented me on it--I always share that you made it for me!
Did you have a snow day this past week? We had lots of snow fall here in St. Louis. The kids got 2 snow days and a lot of the local hills were filled with kids playing on sleds.
Sending hugs and love. Hope all at the Surface home are happy and healthy.
xoxo
I needed to do a special post just for you to thank you for your prayers and encouragement, I am blessed to know you both and am so thankful you have allowed me to share a friendship with your family. I am so glad you got the Internet for Christmas. Do you have an new email address? I promise a letter will be on its way to you very, very soon. I got yours and it made me smile. I LOVED the picture. Thank you SO much for the beautiful Christmas ornament and the wonderful planner (I use it everyday-it is where I put all my PAT appointments). Several families have already complimented me on it--I always share that you made it for me!
Did you have a snow day this past week? We had lots of snow fall here in St. Louis. The kids got 2 snow days and a lot of the local hills were filled with kids playing on sleds.
Sending hugs and love. Hope all at the Surface home are happy and healthy.
xoxo
RSV
RSV was the diagnosis one week ago yesterday when we took Joshua to the emergency room because he wasn't eating well, wasn't putting out wet diapers, and was laboring to breathe. We were told that this virus typically presents itself like a severe cold in adults (which it does, Chris and I both can testify to that) and can be hard on little bodies because little lungs can not clear the mucus caused by the virus fast enough often- resulting in pneumonia. He also said the phrase that I have been haunted by this entire week, "it often gets worse before it gets better".
We have tried to stay positive this week amid hours of home nebulizer treatments and exhaustion from lack of sleep. We didn't want to call and scare anyone by sharing that Joshua was sick. We thought we had things under control. I kept thinking we had "hit bottom" and that we were working our way out of this awful virus. I was wrong.
We started our quickest decent Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Joshua woke up as pale as I think you can possibly get without being blue. He had been sleeping in his swing to elevate his head and help with the drainage, but at 4:30 AM he was no longer satisfied with swinging or sleeping or anything else for that matter. I tried everything and finally called the doctors office at 8:30 AM when they opened and got the first appointment of the day. That appointment won us our next trip to the hospital (for those of you keeping tally this would be office visit #3 and hospital visit #2 in 5 short days.
Needless to say the last three days have been nothing short of awful. We are physically and emotionally exhausted. Joshua was put on an IV drip, oxygen, 3 hour nebulizer treatments, and chest percussion. That phrase I love so much, "it often gets worse before it gets better" couldn't have prepared me for Thursday night at the hospital. By this time I had had 5 nights of not sleeping more than 2 hours (optimistically) at a stretch and was starting to come down with a cold myself. I was having shivering spells and was running a fever and was so weak I wasn't really able to cope. Thank goodness for my mother. She met me and my dad at the hospital (he took Joshua and me so Chris could catch a few hours of sleep after coming off the night shift) and stayed with me through the night so that Chris could work his last day on shift (we thought he was stable enough to have Chris just meet us in the morning). Thursday night was the bottom. All of us were sick, Joshua was exhausted and kept waking every thirty minutes-screamed for 45 and then passed out only to repeat the cycle 30 minutes later. Finally around 4:00 AM Friday morning we begged for drugs and the doctors gave him some Benadryl to help him sleep.
Fast forward to yesterday, after one more day of observation and treatment at the hospital we were able to bring Joshua home. He still isn't eating very much and has lost some weight (he now comfortable fits back into cloths he out grew last month), but he seems happier and is sleeping (some) after his breathing treatments.
My prayer is that we never see this terrible virus again. The doctor says Joshua will likely have wheezing spells in the future as a result of this spell of RSV and that he could get it again next year (children under 2 are most susceptible). I hope not. It took us 1 FULL week and FOUR adults (my Mom and Dad lived with us this week) just to survive this spell of RSV. But if it happens we will cross that bridge when we get there.
We were reminded to take it all in perspective and recognize our blessings-- the room next to ours had a 9 day old baby battling RSV the same way Joshua was....God love those parents. Again, through this trial we were reminded how blessed we are to have such loving and supporting families. Chris' parents, our brothers and sister-in-law, my Aunts and Uncles all called to send their love and prayers for Joshua. My parents never left our side, and we received top-notch care. We are blessed and are so thankful to have a baby on his way back to healthy.
We have tried to stay positive this week amid hours of home nebulizer treatments and exhaustion from lack of sleep. We didn't want to call and scare anyone by sharing that Joshua was sick. We thought we had things under control. I kept thinking we had "hit bottom" and that we were working our way out of this awful virus. I was wrong.
We started our quickest decent Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Joshua woke up as pale as I think you can possibly get without being blue. He had been sleeping in his swing to elevate his head and help with the drainage, but at 4:30 AM he was no longer satisfied with swinging or sleeping or anything else for that matter. I tried everything and finally called the doctors office at 8:30 AM when they opened and got the first appointment of the day. That appointment won us our next trip to the hospital (for those of you keeping tally this would be office visit #3 and hospital visit #2 in 5 short days.
Needless to say the last three days have been nothing short of awful. We are physically and emotionally exhausted. Joshua was put on an IV drip, oxygen, 3 hour nebulizer treatments, and chest percussion. That phrase I love so much, "it often gets worse before it gets better" couldn't have prepared me for Thursday night at the hospital. By this time I had had 5 nights of not sleeping more than 2 hours (optimistically) at a stretch and was starting to come down with a cold myself. I was having shivering spells and was running a fever and was so weak I wasn't really able to cope. Thank goodness for my mother. She met me and my dad at the hospital (he took Joshua and me so Chris could catch a few hours of sleep after coming off the night shift) and stayed with me through the night so that Chris could work his last day on shift (we thought he was stable enough to have Chris just meet us in the morning). Thursday night was the bottom. All of us were sick, Joshua was exhausted and kept waking every thirty minutes-screamed for 45 and then passed out only to repeat the cycle 30 minutes later. Finally around 4:00 AM Friday morning we begged for drugs and the doctors gave him some Benadryl to help him sleep.
Fast forward to yesterday, after one more day of observation and treatment at the hospital we were able to bring Joshua home. He still isn't eating very much and has lost some weight (he now comfortable fits back into cloths he out grew last month), but he seems happier and is sleeping (some) after his breathing treatments.
My prayer is that we never see this terrible virus again. The doctor says Joshua will likely have wheezing spells in the future as a result of this spell of RSV and that he could get it again next year (children under 2 are most susceptible). I hope not. It took us 1 FULL week and FOUR adults (my Mom and Dad lived with us this week) just to survive this spell of RSV. But if it happens we will cross that bridge when we get there.
We were reminded to take it all in perspective and recognize our blessings-- the room next to ours had a 9 day old baby battling RSV the same way Joshua was....God love those parents. Again, through this trial we were reminded how blessed we are to have such loving and supporting families. Chris' parents, our brothers and sister-in-law, my Aunts and Uncles all called to send their love and prayers for Joshua. My parents never left our side, and we received top-notch care. We are blessed and are so thankful to have a baby on his way back to healthy.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Just Pictures...Christmas and Great Nanny Lowry
Odie Clause...a gift from Granddad Lowry
Sleeping through his first Christmas...sweet baby boy
4 generations
She is gonna get those chubby cheeks
Joshua loves his Great Nan!Doctor, doctor, give me the news...
Pom-pom ears...Odie got his hair cut!
Lil pope
Snuggling with his bunny--he loves to rub its ears across his cheeks
Peek-a-boo
JUMPING JOSHUA!!!
This week has been one filled with visits to the doctor (unfortunately). All seemed normal when we went for Joshua's four month shots on Friday. He is now current on all his immunizations and is weighs 13 lbs 7 oz (25% percentile), is 24.5 inches long (50% percentile), and has a head circumference of 17 (75% percentile)--we think he must just have a lot of brains up there in that sweet head of his! (This makes visit number 1)
Saturday morning Joshua woke up with a little stuffy nose and a tiny wet-sounding cough. We gave him a saline spray up the nose, suctioned him out, and called it good. As the day progressed we noticed Joshua wheezing more and draining heavily from his nose. Joshua wasn't eating, only put out three lightly wet diapers, and wasn't acting like himself. By 8:00pm we made the decision to take him to the emergency room where we sat with him from 8:30-11:30pm. After several tests and three x-rays, the doctors determined Joshua has a very common virus called RSV. Its symptoms are congestion, fluid in the chest cavity, a hacking cough, fever, and general ickiness. While we were relieved to have a diagnosis, we were sad to hear that the virus typically gets worse before it gets better...so we are buckling down for the next two weeks as we are sure it is going to be hard on everyone. (For those counting, this is visit number 2)
So now its Sunday. We 're running on 20 minute intervals of sleep and we have a horse baby who is generally very sweet and pleasant, but is not feeling too good, because on top of RSV...he has pink eye. We have officially been initiated into the fraternal order of the novice parent.
That being said...we have now lined ourselves up for our third doctors visit in four days...which will happen tomorrow. Thankfully, Chris was off these last two days so we were able to support each other through our baby's first post-delivery hospital visit, and my parents have been SO gracious and are going to help me make it through my first week of work by staying with Joshua on the days I have home visits in the morning/early afternoon.
Chris and I often find ourselves missing Springfield/Ozark and our amazing friends, but we truly feel God's hand in the direction of our life together. Since Joshua's birth there have been so many instances (between colic and crazy police schedules to hospital trips and first illnesses) that I have wondered what I would have done had I been "by myself" in our little duplex hours away from family. I am pretty sure I would have driven even my dearest friends away with the amount of support I've needed. I am so thankful that I have my precious friends and family who will listen to me when I feel like I've hit my limit, and I am grateful that God had a perfect plan and knew that with the challenges of our growing family we would need the loving and helpful hands of our family to be near by.
Saturday morning Joshua woke up with a little stuffy nose and a tiny wet-sounding cough. We gave him a saline spray up the nose, suctioned him out, and called it good. As the day progressed we noticed Joshua wheezing more and draining heavily from his nose. Joshua wasn't eating, only put out three lightly wet diapers, and wasn't acting like himself. By 8:00pm we made the decision to take him to the emergency room where we sat with him from 8:30-11:30pm. After several tests and three x-rays, the doctors determined Joshua has a very common virus called RSV. Its symptoms are congestion, fluid in the chest cavity, a hacking cough, fever, and general ickiness. While we were relieved to have a diagnosis, we were sad to hear that the virus typically gets worse before it gets better...so we are buckling down for the next two weeks as we are sure it is going to be hard on everyone. (For those counting, this is visit number 2)
So now its Sunday. We 're running on 20 minute intervals of sleep and we have a horse baby who is generally very sweet and pleasant, but is not feeling too good, because on top of RSV...he has pink eye. We have officially been initiated into the fraternal order of the novice parent.
That being said...we have now lined ourselves up for our third doctors visit in four days...which will happen tomorrow. Thankfully, Chris was off these last two days so we were able to support each other through our baby's first post-delivery hospital visit, and my parents have been SO gracious and are going to help me make it through my first week of work by staying with Joshua on the days I have home visits in the morning/early afternoon.
Chris and I often find ourselves missing Springfield/Ozark and our amazing friends, but we truly feel God's hand in the direction of our life together. Since Joshua's birth there have been so many instances (between colic and crazy police schedules to hospital trips and first illnesses) that I have wondered what I would have done had I been "by myself" in our little duplex hours away from family. I am pretty sure I would have driven even my dearest friends away with the amount of support I've needed. I am so thankful that I have my precious friends and family who will listen to me when I feel like I've hit my limit, and I am grateful that God had a perfect plan and knew that with the challenges of our growing family we would need the loving and helpful hands of our family to be near by.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
SOOO BIG!!!
This week's post is not only the best description of our sweet Joshua, but it is also one of his new favorite games. While I hesitate to put the next phrase into writing for fear that I will jinx myself...here goes...since our last posting we have found that our Joshua seems to have completely transitioned into a really pleasant kid. Last week was the start of two big changes for baby J. First, we started him on cereal and baby fruit. Joshua is mad about bananas. He likes applesauce too, but mmmm's for the bananas...Mommy couldn't serve them up fast enough. Despite my initial reservations I am now a whole hearted supporter of rice cereal for babies who can't get enough to eat. Our pediatrician had told us to hold off as long as possible to help keep Joshua from developing food allergies. We did, until Joshua reverted to his colicky ways for 3-4 nights after downing a whooping 8 oz. at his bedtime feeding (no wonder he had gas). Josh is now happily eating 5-6 oz. four times a day with rice cereal and fruit at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time. As for us, the joy of a happy baby is something we are not taking for granted.
Second big change....daycare. Again, I think I was the one who was hung up on how huge a transition this would be on the baby. Joshua couldn't be happier. Joshua has gone to Miss Stephanie's every morning for the last week. He loves his new routine. Mommy wakes up at 5:30 to get ready for work, Joshua wakes up at 6, we have breakfast, change, go to daycare, play all day, come home at 4pm, take a short nap, play some more, eat dinner at 7:30 or 8pm and get ready for bed by 8:30 or 9pm. It is FABULOUS. Not to mention that Joshua is SO happy. We had to check to make sure we had the right baby after the first day at daycare. He was smiling, cooing, giggling, and playful...and he didn't make a peep in the car on the way home. Don't get us wrong he was exhausted, but he had so much fun interacting with the other children that he was just as content as a clam. To put it in perspective....since going to daycare Joshua has not fussed once in his car seat....that is a miracle. Our child (before daycare) would SCREAM at the near sight of an approaching car seat. Trips anywhere were miserable, and completely un-do-able without a second person in the car to help sooth the baby. Since daycare Joshua is happy. Plain and simple. He is a happy camper and we LOVE it!!!!
Other happenings include, hair cut number two and the adventures of a new bouncer. Joshua gets 15 minutes supervised time in his jungle bouncer (found for cheap at a baby resale shop...yahoo!!!) and is a bouncing machine. This little fellow is definitely a mover and a shaker.
Second big change....daycare. Again, I think I was the one who was hung up on how huge a transition this would be on the baby. Joshua couldn't be happier. Joshua has gone to Miss Stephanie's every morning for the last week. He loves his new routine. Mommy wakes up at 5:30 to get ready for work, Joshua wakes up at 6, we have breakfast, change, go to daycare, play all day, come home at 4pm, take a short nap, play some more, eat dinner at 7:30 or 8pm and get ready for bed by 8:30 or 9pm. It is FABULOUS. Not to mention that Joshua is SO happy. We had to check to make sure we had the right baby after the first day at daycare. He was smiling, cooing, giggling, and playful...and he didn't make a peep in the car on the way home. Don't get us wrong he was exhausted, but he had so much fun interacting with the other children that he was just as content as a clam. To put it in perspective....since going to daycare Joshua has not fussed once in his car seat....that is a miracle. Our child (before daycare) would SCREAM at the near sight of an approaching car seat. Trips anywhere were miserable, and completely un-do-able without a second person in the car to help sooth the baby. Since daycare Joshua is happy. Plain and simple. He is a happy camper and we LOVE it!!!!
Other happenings include, hair cut number two and the adventures of a new bouncer. Joshua gets 15 minutes supervised time in his jungle bouncer (found for cheap at a baby resale shop...yahoo!!!) and is a bouncing machine. This little fellow is definitely a mover and a shaker.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
2009
Happy (belated) Christmas and New Years. 2009 crept up on us and here we are already at Serbian Christmas...my goodness!!
The holidays were extra special this year with our latest addition. We got to visit friends down in Springfield, welcome a new friend, baby Caden Frederick, and spend extra time with the people we love. This included the chance to spend time with all of our family over the course of the month which really made the magic of the season seem to stretch through the entirety of December. Chris and I are constantly reminded how blessed we are to have such loving and supportive family members who not only love us, but are crazy about our kid too!
Josh's first Christmas was full of memories. We took Joshua to his first candle light Christmas service (which made him so relaxed he slept through the entire thing). Christmas day he was showered with new baby ornaments, books, cloths, and some 'big boy' toys. We tried to really soak up this Christmas as I am sure by this time next year we will be chasing him 'round the Christmas tree. Speaking of trees, Joshua even had his own baby tree this year set up in our living room. Standing about three feet high it was decorated with Mommy's crystal ornaments and Joshua's baby blue glass ornaments. We also added his ornaments from others including his 'baby's 1st Christmas' teddy bear and snow globe...so precious!!!
Chris is busy with work, looking forward to warmer nights and April when he has a chance (and I do intentionally use the word chance as being the rookie we both understand his 'luck' is partial to the mood of his superiors) to possibly switch to the day shift. He has been enjoying his waking hours playing his new video games online with friends from Springfield and of course, playing super Daddy. Chris and change a dirty diaper in under 1 minute now...he's my hero! He has been a huge help to me and there is nothing more special than watching him play with, cuddle with, kiss on, and adore his baby boy.
As for me....I got a job!!! I accepted a part time position (17-20 hours) with Parents As Teachers, a Missouri program for parents of children ages birth-4 to help support them in educating and screening their children prior to kindergarten. It is a completely government funded program that allows teachers who are also parents, to have the flexibility to continue to 'play mom' while still continue teaching. I am SO excited to start and really hope that the position will enable me to spend more time with Joshua (than I otherwise would as a full time teacher). With the acceptance of this job comes the transition for Joshua into daycare mode. Hopefully this job will mean only 3 days a week with a sitter...but, for this coming week, Joshua will be going the full week so I can attend the training institute. The good news is that we have been preparing. Joshua takes regular day time naps, can play on the floor by himself (entertaining our self has been an issue), and is used to not being held all day. He is up to size 2 diapers, is eating every 4-5 hours (about 6 oz. a sitting), and can ALMOST roll over. He is very independent, active, and lovable...sounds like an add for a new puppy.
For now, that's our news. Hope this posting finds you well!
The holidays were extra special this year with our latest addition. We got to visit friends down in Springfield, welcome a new friend, baby Caden Frederick, and spend extra time with the people we love. This included the chance to spend time with all of our family over the course of the month which really made the magic of the season seem to stretch through the entirety of December. Chris and I are constantly reminded how blessed we are to have such loving and supportive family members who not only love us, but are crazy about our kid too!
Josh's first Christmas was full of memories. We took Joshua to his first candle light Christmas service (which made him so relaxed he slept through the entire thing). Christmas day he was showered with new baby ornaments, books, cloths, and some 'big boy' toys. We tried to really soak up this Christmas as I am sure by this time next year we will be chasing him 'round the Christmas tree. Speaking of trees, Joshua even had his own baby tree this year set up in our living room. Standing about three feet high it was decorated with Mommy's crystal ornaments and Joshua's baby blue glass ornaments. We also added his ornaments from others including his 'baby's 1st Christmas' teddy bear and snow globe...so precious!!!
Chris is busy with work, looking forward to warmer nights and April when he has a chance (and I do intentionally use the word chance as being the rookie we both understand his 'luck' is partial to the mood of his superiors) to possibly switch to the day shift. He has been enjoying his waking hours playing his new video games online with friends from Springfield and of course, playing super Daddy. Chris and change a dirty diaper in under 1 minute now...he's my hero! He has been a huge help to me and there is nothing more special than watching him play with, cuddle with, kiss on, and adore his baby boy.
As for me....I got a job!!! I accepted a part time position (17-20 hours) with Parents As Teachers, a Missouri program for parents of children ages birth-4 to help support them in educating and screening their children prior to kindergarten. It is a completely government funded program that allows teachers who are also parents, to have the flexibility to continue to 'play mom' while still continue teaching. I am SO excited to start and really hope that the position will enable me to spend more time with Joshua (than I otherwise would as a full time teacher). With the acceptance of this job comes the transition for Joshua into daycare mode. Hopefully this job will mean only 3 days a week with a sitter...but, for this coming week, Joshua will be going the full week so I can attend the training institute. The good news is that we have been preparing. Joshua takes regular day time naps, can play on the floor by himself (entertaining our self has been an issue), and is used to not being held all day. He is up to size 2 diapers, is eating every 4-5 hours (about 6 oz. a sitting), and can ALMOST roll over. He is very independent, active, and lovable...sounds like an add for a new puppy.
For now, that's our news. Hope this posting finds you well!
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