Cereal time...

(He only looks like he is smiling...this was before the Wrath of Nathan Eating Cereal decided to make an appearance :))

'Blue's Brothers

My new highchair!

Grandma Frentheway bought Nathan his highchair, and he LOVES it! Here he is in all his glory...and a cute little photo with Grandma Frentheway too!

Chillin' in my Sunday best...

Massive Update

Whew! The holidays were so crazy that I didnt have time to update Nathan's progress. He is getting SO big, and starting to do so many things...

First of all, he had his 4 month check-up and shots way back in mid-December (the 19th, I believe). Here are (or were, since its a month later) his stats:
Weight: 17lbs (YOWZA!!! We have a big'n...)
Height: 25 1/4

So, I seem to think that the height is a little off, as I cannot believe he only grew one inch in two months! The child is wearing 9-12 month clothes, and its NOT because he is chunky. He is not fat at all...no fat on him...he is just solid and big! Anyways, that was almost a month ago. I would suspect that he has gained maybe another pound. :) If he doesnt slow down, we are going to have to start looking at a new car seat...although his current car seat doesnt seem to be too small for him.....yet. Hopefully he will level off before we hit the year mark and have to get a forward facing car seat anyways.

Other developments...let's see...he giggles. I mean from his gut giggles. He is ALL boy because he laughs the hardest at fart sounds and burps. ALL boy! Just this week he has started just launghing like crazy at simply looking at me. Now, I am not sure if its because I look funny (haha) or if he is just SUPER happy to see me :) Either way, it is so cute whenever he laughs. Jonathon and I both say that its a sound we will never get tired of. You could have the worst day ever and Nathan can simply giggle and make it all worth it.

His hair is growing...straight up! I think the poor child inherited my hair. When I was younger, my hair was completely uncontrollable...or so I am told. Nathan's hair seems to only be growing on the top of his head and directly up. I will comb it down after his bath, and within the hour it is straight up. I think I will try putting it in a mowhawk...hehe....

He has started eating cereal....okay, let me rephrase that...he doesnt eat the cereal, he tolerates me putting it in his mouth for about 3 spoonfuls, and then lets me know that he HATES it! I have tried every consistency known to man, and he just hates hates hates it! I am not sure if he is just not quite ready for it...though he is drinking 8 oz of formula every 2 1/2-3 hours. "They" say be patient with the cereal, as it takes the kids a while to learn how to eat with a spoon. However, thats not Nathan's issue. He is fine with a spoon, and seems to get the hang of it...its that he HATES the taste of cereal. I have also tried to put it in his bottle...which works sometimes, if he is REALLY hungry, but sometimes he gags at that too and refuses it. SO, for any of you Pros out there...any advice would be fantastic. Or any "Yeah my child did the same thing" stories are welcome too :)

Lets see, Nathan has stopped sleeping through the night. I think I mentioned that the had started sleeping from about 8pm to 6am...yeah that has stopped. I went away for a weekend and came back, and he wasnt doing that anymore, so I dont know if it was because his schedule was a little different for a couple of days, or if I just happened to go away at the same time he decided to stop sleeping. Regardless, he is back to being a newborn sometimes. Every 3 hours. I take that back, normally he will sleep from about 9pm to 1am. I can then stall him with his pacifier for an hour, but by 2 I have to feed him. THEN he is up every 2 1/2-3 hours until 7:30am, when he is ready to start the day. Again, is this just a phase they go through at almost 5 months? When he wakes up at night, it IS because he is hungry, and not because he wants to play or has his days and nights all mixed up or anything. He is ALL business when he wakes up. Anyways. Any advice or "my kid did the same" stories are welcome :)

He is also a catnapper. He takes about 3-4 little 30-40min naps during the day. The rest of the time, he wants to be entertained. Of course, when other people watch him, he will sleep 3 hours for them...and I am not sure why. Regardless, he likes to be awake most of the day, which makes it kind of hard to get a whole lot done. I have learned to not spend a whole lot of time dilly dallying :)

Nathan has yet to roll over (which is fine with me :)). He can roll to his side, and he can arch his back to the point where he almost rolls over, but just hasnt done it yet. Also, when he is on his tummy, he will lift a hip, but his arm gets in the way. I have a feeling that he is going to skip the rolling over stage and maybe even the crawling stage and go straight to the walking/running/ climbing/getting into things stage. He is definately ready to go.

Nathan LOVEs just walking around. He just wants to be at an adult level and see what is going on. I have gotten pretty good at doing one armed dishes (with him in my other arm), or one armed laundry, or making the bed with one arm. He LOVEs it. I am hoping its because he will one day enjoy doing the dishes or making the bed....but, we all know that is HIGH hopes ;) and that he just likes seeing what Mom is doing :)

Nathan has grown a little temper. Okay, thats not true, he has always had a little temper especially when it comes to food...he has just learned to use that temper to let us know he wants something, or is tired of being in something. Its kind of cute, until he throws himself back. Luckily he is normally in someone's arms when he does this. I fear when he can sit up and decides to pull that one on the hard wood floor. I guess it will take only once for him to learn right? YIKES!

I think thats all I can think of right now. I am sure he is doing so much more, afterall, he is amost 5 months! FIVE MONTHS! I can't believe how fast he has grown!

Jump around, Jump, Jump, Jump around...

For Christmas, Santa got Nathan a "Rainforest Jumparoo" thingy. It allows him to basically jump around, yet secures him enough so he won't fall over or hurt himself. He LOVES it! Incedentally, he also got an "excersaucer" (he actually got it before he was born, we just put it together for Christmas), and he is too small, so his feet wont touch the saucer part...so he hasnt quite taken to it yet (though the problem has been accidentally taken care of, so his feet not touching the saucer wont be a problem anymore).

My first Christmas!

This is our only picture in front of our tree (we were a little slow on the upswing with the picture taking this year). From left: me, Nathan, Beth/Grand Mom, and Gretchen (Jonathon's Step Sister).
Christmas Eve evening we went over to Jonathon's Grandma and Grandpa's house for a really nice dinner and opening gifts with that side of the family. Nathan, of course did not lack in attention...here he is with his beloved Paps. :) He LOVES his Paps (or Great Paps, for those of you keeping track)!

Date night at the Ices!

Last Friday evening, we invited Josh, Jeanne and Audrey over for some pizza. We, of course, had to set up a little photo op with the two little tykes. Keep in mind that these kiddos are only 36 hours apart (Nathan being older). They have recently started noticing each other, or at least Nathan has noticed Audrey. He just sits there and stares at her, occasionally letting out a giggle. Audrey, already the pro that she is, just sits there looking all coy and playing "hard to get". Its the CUTEST thing ever!

SO Cute!

Aunt Dee Dee took this picture one day while she was babysitting Nathan...and I just HAD to post it. It is adorable!!! :)

Chillin' in my Bumbo...

Word

Whassup?

Santa Baby....

Sears Revisited

I went back to Sears yesterday to check out the pictures that we left behind in our mad dash out of public scrutiny...and they are adorable. I have to say Little Nathaniel is quite the photogenic student (even when he is hacking up a lung and coughing up "blood" ;)). Here's a peak:

Nathaniel the Contortionist

I look like my....

Jonathon David Ice - 2 months

Rachael Bree Frentheway - 2 months

So for those of you out there that werent around when Jonathon and I were children, here are our baby photos. You be the judge of who Nathan looks like :)

Who's Your Daddy?

Since Nathan was born, there have been pretty split opinions on who the little tyke looks like. Some have said he resembles me, others say he resembles Jonathon. As he has gotten older, the opinion has become more in favor of Jonathon. I haven't really been able to tell, except little elements, such as...Nathan has Jonathon's nose, or he has my ears. I haven't been able to grasp the whole picture....until yesterday morning. I ask you...Nathan...Who's Your Daddy?

:) (ALL Jonathon!)

Well Hello!

Tuckered Out.

Update

I havent posted anything for a few days...sorry about that. Honestly, it has been busy and there hasnt been too much going on in they way of Nathan. Though I do think the child has grown another 5lbs and 10inches. He is getting SO big. My baby boy is growing up so fast!

At 3 1/2 months, Nathan has begun to sleep through the night. It all started Thanksgiving night, and he went to sleep at about 8pm and didnt wake up until 4am! I originially thought that it was just because he was so tuckered from seeing all his relatives and meeting so many new people. BUT, Friday night, he slept from 8pm-ish to 6am! Then did so again the next night! That has been the trend since...except Monday night when he woke up at 2am, BUT he hadnt eaten since 6:30pm, so it was still a good run. :) He has a definate bedtime too...BY 8:30. He sticks to this time pretty well, and it is his own doing. This is HIS choice and I am so glad that he wants to go to bed at this time. I am all for an early bedtime. I just think it is good for both the parents and the kids. Anyways, twice this week, we have been a little off schedule and during bathtime Nathan has fallen asleep in the tub! Yes that right folks, the child falls asleep in the tub! It is the cutest thing. He just sits there all cozy as I pour water over him and after about 10 minutes, he is out. :) I need to take some pictures of it the next time he does it. Poor little guy just gets so tuckered, and it hits 8:30, and his mom is trying to give him a bath...he just checks out!

Also, Nathan loves to "dancy dance" (thats what we call it). Thank goodness for Christmas music. Its fun, and I know most of the words...unlike children's songs, where i have forgotten most of the words to most songs (I am working on relearning :)). Anyways, yes he loves to dance around to the music with me. He just smiles and giggles and screams. He really loves the dips :) And when he gets tires, he likes to lie in my arms and sway to the music as I attempt to sing along. I know that some "experts" say not to let the baby fall asleep in your arms, especially when they get older otherwise they wont ever go to sleep on their own, but how could a mother refuse to do that at least once and a while? I dont do it every time Nathan wants/needs to go to sleep, he is actually really great at falling asleep on his own (hence his bathtime naps), but it is SO sweet when he falls asleep in my arms. It just warms my heart.

I think thats about the extent of the update....:)

Official 'Mom' moment

So, as I have mentioned, Little Nathan and I have been suffering from a severe cold (cough/running/stuffy nose/congestion etc...) the last week to 10days or so. Well, we are both feeling better, but the dang symptoms are just lingering and lingering. Nathan is about 2 days behind me in recovery, so he is on the road. He just has a cough and tends to get real congested. This scares him and freaks him out (as it should for a little guy) and so he gets real upset, which just freaks him out even more and it takes quite a lot to get the little guy to calm down. Anyone who has babysat him knows that he isn't a patient Little Nathan. When he is hungry, he is hungry and the bottle better be right there or he will let you know just how hungry he is. Just his little personality. He is NOT a bad baby at all, he hardly ever cries (unless he gets real hungry) and is never real fussy (only when tired and he is fighting going to sleep)...

So, on to our adventure for today. Well, he is three months now, and I decided to set up an appointment at Sears for his 3 month photo. Both Jonathon and I have "official" pictures of us at three months...it seems to be a good age to capture the "baby" in someone. So, Sears it was. It seemed cheap and easy and they were open for 11am today. I get Nathan all ready in a really cute outfit and grab another one for an outfit change/Christmas photo (to possibly use as our "Happy Holiday 2006" card). I feed Nathan, so that he doesn't get hungry during the photo shoot...he is well rested and falls asleep on the 10 minute ride to Sears. Once we get to the photo center in Sears, he wakes up and seems to be a little fussy, but that was (I thought) because he was groggy from the tiny nap and just wanted to go back to sleep. I get him out of his carseat and get him ready for his picture to be taken...the 20 year old that was taking his pictures seemed to be real patient and waited a few minutes for Nathan to wake up. He finally does, and I set him on the set....ready to go. Nope. Not for Nathan. One thing you have to know about Nathan is that he will be all smiles and giggles....until he sees a camera. He will not smile for the camera...and better yet, he just stares at the camera as if to say "I know I am adorable, but would you please put that thing a way already!" He is like a little Alec Baldwin in the making...ready to bust the camera lens when he sees it. (Hahahah!) So the Little Camera Girl was working so hard to get Nathan to smile. Just once. She was clicking her month, clapping her hands, rattling a rattle, blowing air on his face (to which he just shut his eyes and thought to himself "ahhhh...this is the life!"). Nothing. Not one crack of a smile. Just a blank stare. It was actually quite entertaining, I felt like we were in the middle of "Candid Camera" or something.

ANYWAYS...Nathan finally cracked a few smiles, and she was able to capture them...or she was just getting frustrated. I stripped him down and she took a couple of him in his diaper, and then I put his little red shirt on (AKA his Christmas outfit). I placed him on set again...and again, Stone Cold Stoic Nathan came out. THEN...he started coughing. Just a little at first. But after about 10 minutes, he was just bored and irritated with people trying to get him to smile...and getting tired, so...the coughing started getting worse. He then went into a full coughing attack, which, as I mentioned above, just scared the Little Tyke into a frenzy. The Little Camera Girl started freaking out thinking that he was really sick...and I could FEEL everyone's eyes on me all wondering "why are you out of the house with this sick child? he is miserable!". At one point, Nathan coughed and sneezed at the same time onto my nice cream sweater and all I heard after that was (really loud, so the entire Sears Photo Department could hear) "Oh my gosh...he is coughing up blood!!!!" (from the Little Camera Girl of course). Let me just tell you, I high tailed it out of there. I didn't even see the proofs, and ran out saying "ummm yeah, I'll be back". The sheltering of children by their parents and the paranoid whispers was about all I could handle...and Nathan was still upset.....until...of course....we got to the toy section of Sears and he was completely calm....sleeping actually.

Needless to say, today was a "Mom" moment. I suppose as we get more and more used to being parents, or a mother, those moments won't seem so traumatic. And I am SURE that I was the one being overly paranoid in the Photo Department, just perceiving everyone's stares/looks/negative thoughts as exactly that...negative. Anyone who has been a mother/parent, in public, has HAD to have had a moment in which you fear the entire world is finally seeing that maybe you aren't such a good Mom (again, self perception). Its like how I felt at many of the jobs in my career, especially at Sundance and Churchill. I feared every day would be the day they would find out just how incompetent I am/was. I think it stems from the "this is too good to be true" mentality. Ya know? I am not saying that I really think I AM a bad mother, not at all...I think I am a good Mom, with the knowledge that I have. I have a lot more to learn though. Having a child is almost a "too good to be true" moment for me. The love that I feel for Little Nathan is so extreme and the experience is so wonderful that I pray I can live up to it. Throwing in other peoples opinions, negative or not, perceived or not, just adds another layer to the whole experience.

So...as I rambled....that was my "Mom" moment today. By the way...I do plan to go and look at the proofs. AND, for those out there super concerned...the "blood" that the Little Camera Girl thought she saw, was only fuzz from Nathan's new red shirt. He had been sucking on his fist, and his sleeve had gotten in the way...thus red fuzz in his mouth that came out when he sneezed/coughed. :)

ROCKSTAR!!!!!!

Get your game face on....Boiler Up!!!

Saturday is college football day in the Ice household...according to Jonathon, and yesterday Purdue had a big game....so Jonathon dressed Nathan :) I think his outfit says it all :)

Poor little guy

I am sick...:(



So this week has been the first official "sick week" in the Ice house hold. First I got a really severe chest cold, which I prayed would not spread to Nathan...which, of course, it has. He has been coughing the last couple of days and is pretty conjested. We have been spending a lot of time in the bathroom with the shower running to breathe in the steam. Baby Vicks has come in handy...and we made a trip to the Pediatrician this morning just to make sure he only had a cold (which he does). He seems to get better during the day, and then at night and in the morning is really bad (which is normal). Poor little guy...its scary to listen to him and feel completely helpless. Since he is only 3 months old, he is very limited as to what kind of medicines he can take. Thank goodness he is okay, and should clear up in a couple of days.

And this is all new to me. I grew up never going to the Doctor, because, well...my Dad was a Doctor. So whenever we were sick, we had a built in stethascope to diagnose us and call in a perscription if needed. I think I had always imagined that thats how it would be raising my kids...I would just call my Dad and he would tell me what to do. He was the 'security blanket' (as a father should be). Regardless, the trips to the Pediatrician are new experiences to both Nathan and I...we are experiencing them for the first time, together, which is a little strange.

3 months and growing

Three months? Already? thats it? (hahah). Thats how I feel...3 months already, yet it also feels like these 3 months have taken for forever (not in a bad way). My how life has changed. :)

At 3 months, Nathan is 14.9 lbs (yes he has gained a pound since his last visit to the Doctor). Size 2 diaper, 6 month clothing (though he can still fit into some 3 month clothes, depending where it is from) and drools as if he had 4 teeth coming in (he doesnt). He talks and giggles and rubs his eyes when he is tired. He sucks on his fists....his WHOLE fist! He has found his thumb on his right hand, but only seems to suck on the very tip of it. He seems to prefer his fingers/fist over the pacifier...and definately knows the difference. He is holding his head up on his own now, with only a tiny bit of assistance (he has got a big noggin'....its heavy!). He likes to be held upright and walked around the house, in which he will talk in little cooing sentences to let you know what he things. He has noticed the television, and has the makings of a complete couch potato...something that will be monitored as he gets older. He loves to "dancy dancy" with Mom around the house, and gets tired of being in the same room for too long. He LOVES his visits from Nan and Paps, and Aunt Dee Dee, and is really starting to recognize them. Oh and he LOVES it when Dad gets home from work...he can be mid-cry, but when his Dad walks in, he will just grin from ear to ear. Nathan loves baths! He will just sit there, completely relaxed as the water is poured on him, though he doesnt like washing his head. His hair is growing, and he now has a little bit of a flat top, which is oh so adorable. He has one little freckle to the right of his right eye, and has two birth marks (one on his forhead and on on his right eye). The have gotten bigger in the last month or so, which is normal. Apparently they will disappear within a year. Nathan still eats about every 3 hours (sometimes every 2), and still seems to wake up 2 times a night, with the occasional 9 hour stretch (which I think he allows me when he can tell I am super tired). He is a SMART kid, and already knows that if he kicks his feet in his bouncer, the music will turn on. :)

3 months...and growing....

TUMMY TIME!!!!!!!

Ladies, eat your heart out!

How you doin'?

How Sweet it is...

The Dragon

The Shots

So,Nathan went in for his 2 month well check on Monday. Its actually a 10 week check since we were dealing with Pediatricians and insurance companies. Regardless, we are still with Dr. Abbott, and LOVE her! She is go great with Nathan and has always treated him as if she were personally invested in his well being. She always remembers us (or acts like she does. As a Dr...and as I saw with my Dad...I am sure it is impossible to remember every patient that comes through the office, but she manages to put on a great act :)). Anyways, so here are Nathan's "two month" stats:

Weight: 13.9lbs
Height: 24 1/4 inches
Head: 16 cm

He is in the 90% for his weight, and the 75% for his height/length and head circumference. BIG boy :) She wasn't at all concerned about his weight, as he is VERY solid. He is not chubby at all, nor does he have excess amounts of fat, he is seriously all solid muscle. The Doc said he would level off weight wise and start growing taller/longer.

She also said that Nathan is pretty advanced for his young age. He is sucking his fingers and fists and blowing bubbles with his saliva. The child would get up and walk if he knew he could do it, with the way he stands on his legs and kicks his feet while on his belly. He was such a good boy during the visit...until (cue the scary music) The Shots!

The Shots. Oh dread. What an awful experience for all of us! Nan actually came along with us to the appointment, and was kind enough to gently hold Nathan's arms while the nurse stuck him 5 times (yes, FIVE times). Poor little guy just screamed...as you could imagine! I quietly stood in the back of the room trying not to run to the nurse and yank out her lovely blond hair. My eyes welled up with tears, and I seriously had to hold back the sobbing. It was awful! Poor little guy...

Let me tell you, Tylenol is a wonderful thing :) Not as great as an epidural (hehehe!), but wonderful nonetheless! I gave some to Natey immediately after the shots and it seemed to calm him. He actually wasn't too bad the rest of the day, but that evening he was visibly in pain and was very fussy for a couple of hours. He went to sleep around 9 and slept all the way until 5 or 6 the next morning (I of course kept pumping Tylenol in him every 4 hours, so that may have had something to do with how long he slept...). He was okay yesterday, but still just a little bit tired and cranky.

All is well today though. Actually, I thought he slept for 8 hrs the night of his shots because of the medicine, and either the meds hadn't worn off for last night or he is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT...as he slept again from 9pm - 5am. Good job Natey! Could be all the running around we did for Halloween though. I am not banking on an 8hr night every night, and again, I am kicking myself for ever complaining about having to get up with him. It goes SO fast! Every moment is just so precious. Every smile, every cry, every SECOND! Sheesh....(can you imagine when I have to send him off to college? If I am already a blubbering mother when he is 2 months old, imagine when he goes to college, or his wedding day! I am going to be a mess! ;))