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! ;))

A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E

Rise and Shine....

Hi there...Nathan here...I am updating the blog while my Mom takes a nap. I have had a really rough day! Here I am sound asleep in my bouncer.

Here I am trying to wake up....look at me stretch!


Here I am stretching again...man, it is SO hard to wake up!!!


Here I am taking a BIG yawn. Those feel SO good when you are really tired!!!


Ooops...I think I forgot that I was stretching in this one...I fell back asleep!

The beginings of a personality

So, I have had a glimps of the future. The future that is weekday mornings and trying to get Nathan up for school. I foresee many cups of cold water to get the kid awake, and then more cups of ice to actually get him out of bed. See...when Nathan finally allows himself to sleep....he means business. And trying to get him to wake up, IS work (letting him sleep too long during the day, means I dont sleep at night)!!! Its not too often that I actually have to try and wake him up, but the times that I do, I might as well go straight for the cold water because he wont have anything to do with being gently woken up. It seriously will take him up to an hour to wake up fully. Its actually quite adorable, BUT...it means he is a sleeper...he got that trait from his Dad! ;)

Nathan the Giant

Happy 2 Month Birthday Nathan!!!

Nathan was brought into this world exactly 2 months ago today...and what a blessing he has been! In some ways I think to myself that the two months has gone by fast, but then in others, I honestly cant remember life without him! And he is just growing so quickly!

Yesterday, during "tummy time", he lifted up his left hip. I dont think it will be too long before the little guy will be turning over. Also while lying on his back, he is starting to lean to the sided...again, it wont be too long until he will be rolling all over the place :) He has started to enjoy sitting on my lap and just being content there, which is nice. He isnt such a Wobble Head anymore, though sometimes I think he forgets and lets his noggin sway side to side. :) Its cute though, I assume once he learns to sit up, with a blink of an eye he will be asking for the car keys to get his driver's license...so each wobble of the head is precious these days :)

We went to the wedding last Saturday, and though it was fun (for us), I think Nathan was a little overwhelmed with it all. He was the fussiest that he has ever been...and I think thats because of all the noise, the people, the lights. I can't imagine what it must be for someone to wake up to all that. I was on sensory overload...imagine him! Anyway, we left at about 10pm and Nathan slept the entire ride home in the car, and then all the way until 4am. The Little Tyke was tuckered to say the least.

Let's see....on Sunday we went to Old Navy in the afternoon, and got him a little dragon Halloween costume :) It was on sale, so why not? He will be SO cute....and I will be sure to take tons of pictures and post them :)

Thats the update today...2 months old. Precious as can be. SUCH a good baby. :)

He is a little man....

Here he is...Nathaniel Charles, in his first pair of jeans :) Honestly, have you seen anything more adorable than that?

Awww...

Thanks

Thanks to all those that have offered advise for Little Natey sleeping through the nights. I decided that the little tyke is still really young (8 weeks last Thursday), and to just relax and enjoy the night feedings. Its precious time together...moments that won't last forever. Soon enough he will be sleeping through the nights....and actually he is doing much better. He really wakes up only once (if you don't count an 11pm and a 5 pm feeding as 'night'), and normally only drinks an ounce or two and is right back to sleep. Its the midnight (2am) snack.

He is SUCH a good boy! He really is :) He is starting to stay awake during the day a lot...and is completely content just sitting in his bouncer watching me do dishes or laundry. He lets ya know when he is tired...and is getting really good at falling asleep on his own (without being rocked...although, I do still try to rock him a little, just because he lets me :)). He is so smart too! He has learned that if he moves his legs real fast while sitting in his bouncer, the bouncer...bounces him. He gets quite excited! Also, when I put the little play gym music thing on the bouncer, he has started to kick the toys that hang down...this makes him happy too! He is actually sleeping in his swing right now, which is a HUGE change. He didnt seem to like to for too long before today. Also, he has discovered his tongue (I think I have mentioned that), and will stick it out...he will also copy me if I stick mine out :) He has started smiling a lot and I have gotten a couple little giggles out of him too!

I am so biased, I know, but he is THE CUTEST THING EVER!!! I just can not get over how much I love this little guy and how much I enjoy spending all my time with him. I apoligize to those out there that offer and offer to watch him (and give me a break)...I dont ever really feel like I NEED a break. I know its selfish of me...and I will relinquish once and a while. I just enjoy being a Mom so much. I am so glad that I am able to do this :) It beats any job in the "working world"!

Tonight we have a wedding in Cinci. We are bringing Nathan...his first road trip and first wedding :) I will be sure to take pictures.

Sleepless nights

So...here is a question for all you 'experts' out there:

Is there a correlation between when predominately breast fead babies start sleeping through the night and when formula fead babies start sleeping through the night?

The reason I ask is because Nathan still wakes up 3 (sometimes 4) times a night. Every three hours, IF I am lucky...and then there is ALOT of fussing between (yes, he is burped, diaper is dry, he is not hot, cold...I have gone through the check list). NONE of my friends who have just had babies have this issue...they are ALL sleeping 6-8 hrs a night and then waking up for a quick feeding, only to go back to sleep for another 4-5 hours. Now they are also ALL breastfead babies. I seem to be the only slacker that has stopped breastfeeding (my first regret as a mother...that i didnt try hard enough with breastfeeding. I really wish I could go back and start all over.), so I don't have any other formula fead baby to compare.

Am I just being impatient? The child IS only 7 weeks old...("but the book says that by 7-8 weeks they should be sleeping through the night")...

Nathan's view of the world, thus far....

Big Pimpin'

Photo Session

Before we went to Utah, we had family/Nathan pictures taken. You can view the slide show by going to:

www.wolfordphotography.com

click on "Clients" then click on "Nathan". Turn your speakers on...the music will get you.

Let me know of any favorites...most of them are decent (ALL the ones of Nathan are great, its the ones with me in them that are questionable...my hair was not cooperating that night).

:)