Monday, August 31, 2009

Summer End Trip

We went to preemie clinic this morning. I wasn't told anything that we didn't already know, I guess. Growth wise, we're in the normal range. Developmentally, we're on track. The "normal" doctor and occupational therapist weren't there today. The doctor that was running things today was Jax's primary physician when he was in the NICU though, so he at least knew us (remembered us, even!). I'd never seen today's OT before, but she was super nice.

I asked about muscle tone, since last time around it was a little low, but she said everything looked good and that if she had to bet, she thinks we have an early walker on our hands. I don't know how I feel about that. (We got a bumbo chair last week and Jax loves it. I sort of hate it because he looks all grown up and old, sitting in that chair by himself.)

Josh, Jax, and I took what is becoming our traditional end of summer trip to Lakeville to go to the MN State Fair. Our friends, Mike and Brandy, came with us to spend the day eating all the deep fried food we could handle. Jaxon stayed with Grandma Linda for the day (thank you, Linda!) so we didn't have to try and maneuver the stroller through the giant crowd. We did discuss how, next year, we could use the stroller for the grown ups though, after 7.5 hours of walking and standing on the fairgrounds! Jax had a good day with Grandma, and we had a good day at the fair. Hopefully, next time, I'll be able to post a scanned version of the old time photo we took. Josh has even agreed to take one sometime with Jaxon (imagine how adorable he would be in cowboy boots and a hat!!!).

It was a good way to finish off our summer ~ deep fried food, friends, family, and a quick trip to Sonic! (Fargo SO needs a Sonic!)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Traumatic Day

Today was our 4 month check up. So we had a lovely afternoon of poking, prodding, shots and a minor surgical procedure.

First, here are our stats: 13 pounds, 9 ounces (I was excited that we're finally past the 12 pound mark. Apparently though, Jax "should" be about 2 pounds heavier. The doctor didn't seem worried, so I guess now we wait to see how chubby we are at our 6 month appointment)

25 1/2 inches long ~ Jax is taller (longer?) than most babies at this age. Since we're light on the weight side and taller than average, I sort of imagine him being built like my dad or brothers.

Jax is also big enough where we get to start cereal once a day and after a month or so, if that goes well, start him on fruit. When I called Josh to tell him about the appointment and mentioned that we can start feeding Jaxon cereal once a day he was surprised since Jax has no teeth and I didn't quite get why. I guess though, that he had it in his head that when I said cereal, I meant like Cheerios or something. Once I explained what sort of cereal we'd be eating, he understood a little better.

Today was our day for 3 more immunizations (still not the traumatic part of the day). They actually came after the trauma. He sucked down the oral one like a champ and did pretty good with the actual shots, too. He let out one good scream and called it good. I'm glad his nurse is pretty speedy when it comes to administering the shots!

Alright...now for the traumatic part. If you're a squeamish sort, I'm guessing you don't want to read any further.

When the doctor checked his boy parts and circumcision, she found that the foreskin had healed (bridged, she called it) to the rest and needed to be recut. This was NOT exciting news. I was hoping I'd get to not be standing there when she did it. Wrong! I got to restrain his arms (he kept hitting at her hand as she was trying do it), while a nurse held his legs. Jax started screaming at her before she'd even done anything and then held his breath longer than I have ever seen him hold it afterwards. He wasn't as friendly with the doctor after that.

Since his shots came after this awesomeness, as soon as I laid him back down on the table, he scrunched up, giving the nurse a run for her money, trying to straighten out his legs. He was not very happy with her afterwards, either when she was checking in his diaper to make sure he wasn't bleeding anymore.

Now that we're home, he's pretty cuddly (no complaints on that one!) and I'm hoping that the acetominephin that I gave him earlier helps with the pain. Fingers crossed on how the rest of the day goes!

Friday, August 14, 2009

More Water Baby-ness

My parents were on vacation at the lake this week and since it was going to be super hot out, I had planned on going to visit for a day ~ plans changed and Jax and I decided to go down Thursday afternoon and spend the night. Jax had his first real swim in the lake and in the pool that Grandma Linda got for him. He really didn't mind being in the lake...until I got him wet up to the middle of his chest. That wasn't so much fun for him, but standing there with his toes in the sand and about knee deep in water is just fine with him! These sunglasses used to be Tanner's! Does that make them antiques?
"Skippydipping" in the pool from Grandma Linda. Grandpa Scott dug out an old lifejacket that worked out to be pretty versatile ~ we used it as a chair and as a floaty.

Jax swam in his pool until he was exhausted. And by exhausted, I mean, he got pretty crabby. So he cuddled with uncle Tanner :)
Before the skippydipping party
He even had his own tiny beach ball!
Post-swimming. Exhausted baby.

This was the reaction I got after I put him in the water so it was mid-chest.
I tortured him by making him SIT in the lake. I am working on being the meanest mom ever ;)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Some Catch Up ..

I have no idea where the weeks ago ~ school starts up again in September and I am sad that I won't be hanging out with Jax all day, but excited to get back to school at the same time.

Last week was sort of busy and this week is more of the same. I'm glad the weather is getting nicer, so we can spend a little time outside each day. Last week we go to meet Mary in the park to do her tutoring, the weather was perfect! Hopefully it stays nice enough where we can meet there again a few times before we have to go back to the inside tutoring. Friday and Saturday was spent getting things together for school. Sunday, we went home to Enderlin so Josh could help my dad and brother work on siding the house. The weather for that worked out pretty perfect also ~ I was kind of worried, even though the forecast said it was supposed to be sunny, there were a lot of gray clouds between Fargo and highway 46. Once we turned onto 46, the sky opened up and we didn't have to worry about rain.

Here are a couple pictures that I took with my phone this week: Sharing a popsicle with mommy. He makes a face at it while he's licking and so I think he's not a fan of it, but when I take it away, he squawks at me. So I guess I continue sharing until he spits it back at me?
Crunch likes to keep a close eye on Jax while he's "working out" with the baby gym. He'll sit and howl when Jax hits something that makes noise. Jaxon doesn't mind the howling, but if Crunch barks (which is pretty rare), Jax looks at him like he has 3 heads.

Just some smiles during a naked baby party!
Last night, the three of us went to watch the meteor shower. We ended up on some gravel road west of Harwood before we found a place where we could just pull over to watch, but it was worth it. I tried to take some pictures with our camera, but it didn't work out so well. However, with the night setting on our camera, I can take pictures of the moon and if I move the camera while it's processing or whatever it does, I can make what I was calling moon drawings. Some of them are kinda funny looking, I'll have to post them sometime. I took some pictures of Josh and I too (holy man! A camera flash has never felt so bright!). I didn't torture Jax with that though.
Oh! And Jax has started laughing a lot more! It makes my heart melt every single time :) It's kinda hard to get him to laugh, but once he starts he keeps on for a couple minutes. So cute!
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Tender Transitions weight this week: 12 pounds 7 ounces
We have our 4 month appointment on the 25th of this month and then preemie clinic on the 30th, so we'll see if that's an "ok" weight or not.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Photo from Shoot in June

Below is a photo from the photo shoot that Jax was part of in June for Innovis. I have to check next week to see if there were only supposed to be a few photos on the disc that we received. There were a lot more babies than are pictured below, and there were a few photos of Jax as he tried to eat suck on that other baby's head and hand. (Neither photo is on the disc that I have, so I can't share it, sorry) Since there are 2 boys in blue in the photo ~ Jax is the one with bare feet. Around the time the photo was taken he was almost 2 months old. He's the oldest baby out of all the ones in that picture, more than a month older than most of them. (I never think he's all that small until I find babies that are older or younger than him and he's littler than they are)
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Weight at Tender Transitions today: 12 pounds, 4.2 ounces. I have a feeling we'll be stuck in the 12 pound range for awhile, as he's getting more active and working off what he eats right away.