Life Updates & cute pictures...

As you can probably tell from my previous post, I was not getting very much sleep. And I know everyone has been telling me to sleep when the baby sleeps, but I was like a cleaning maniac! I mean I like things cleaned and organized, but I was getting out of control. So Thursday night we gave Regan her 10pm bottle, rocked her to sleep and put her in the bassinet. And Friday morning Bill's alarm goes off as usual at 5:30am and he shakes me to ask me if I had given Regan a bottle in the middle of the night (because my sweet husband usually does it) and I said no! So we ran to the bassinet and saw our sleeping baby (with her standard smirk on her face) breathing away! Bill gets ready for work and leaves and I go back to bed and slept until SEVEN A.M.!!!! Regan slept for over 8 hours and Bill and I actually got some sleep for once- very scary..... So I am feeling much more rested after two nights in a row like that! Maybe I should explain that she doesn't have colic, she was just on the wrong formula and it was giving her tummy distress. Once we switched and have stabolized her metabolism during the day with scheduled feedings, life has gotten much easier!



I did email most people to tell them about Regan getting her splint off this past Monday. And of course being the proud Mommy I am, I took my camera to the doctor's office and took a picture right after it was removed! They did take another x-ray and the break is healed. It is a little gross though, because on the x-ray you can literally see a white dot where the break had healed. And you can feel a bump on her arm where the bone has calcified. The bump will be there for about a year, but as she grows it will absorb into her bones.



There may be some nerve damage in her wrist. The OB had to yank pretty hard to get her out, so it may have pulled on a nerve at the same time. They call it a "dumb waiter" injury because it looks like someone holding their hand behind their back looking for a tip. But I was so excited that her splint was off, I didn't bother to ask any questions! ME!!! No questions. She does go back in a month to look at the nerve injury, but as I have been told numerous times, babies are resilient and she should be just fine. But my sister-in-law Karen, did ask a PT/OT friend of hers about it and it is actually a lunar nerve injury in her wrist and again it should heal fine. After almost a week she already seems better.



The best part (other than the fact that she was no longer injured) was that I could now put on all the cute clothes that I had bought and received as gifts, instead of the icky onesies I had hacked up so she could have clothes to wear with the splint! All of those went right into the trash!

In the doc office right after the "removal"

Our first "real" bath- no cord, no splint!

Look at how cute my arm is!

It's hard work looking this good! ;-)

I couldn't help but take this one, she is no longer the girl with the broken wing!

Well, Connor and I bought Monopoly Jr this afternoon since tonight is game night. And I don't want to miss that at all, so I'll have to do another post with more cute pics and fill you in on our excursion downtown today to see all that is going on for the DNC. Preview- a man told me not to take pictures as the press was entering the arena and Bill saw 5 military helicopters circling the air several times. But it is off to play Monopoly Jr with Connor and Bill. Bill and I don't play the normal Monopoly together very well, we get to mad at each other, but I think this one will not put to much strain on our marriage!

See ya, Melinda

Why can't we mainline caffeine???

I am so very tired, I mean realllllyy tired. Actually so tired I can't quite figure out why I am sitting here typing to you all?? I just wish someone could hook me up to an IV and just pour pure caffeine right into my body. But I guess I will have to deal with getting it the old-fashoined way.

So anyway, last night we went to the orientation meeting for Cub Scouts at Connor's school. It was acutally quite moving to see the color guard begin the pack meeting. Just thinking that my Grandpa was a scout, so was my Dad, both brothers and now Connor will be too. So I got a little teary at that. And after they handed out awards for scouts who completed projects over the summer, the new parents split up and the kids watched a mad scientist do her thing. So we are sitting and listening to the leaders talk about the process and how we all begin and that we need a place for the first grade den to meet for the first time- when I hear my husband pipe up and offer our house!!!! FOR NEXT WEEK! We just had a baby 3 weeks ago! But this is really God hitting me on the head saying "you wanted to get involved this school year remember?". Careful what you wish for.... All the parents getting involved seem so nice and have offered to help with snacks and one woman offered to hold my Sweet Regan during the meeting. What a trooper! ;-) So here we are doing Cub Scouts, which I know thrills my Dad to no end. He is the original tree hugger as we all know!

In other news, Chase has come back home. Well, I think I am officially SO tired now that I might be able to take a nap. Maybe I will watch the re-run of "The Practice" and fall asleep. Who wouldn't want to watch Dylan McDermott as they are drifting off?

The rest of you... stay awake,
Melinda

Sweet baby Regan....

Ok I know I am not at all objective, but doesn't she look so cute and cuddly??? It is is only in the 50's today and rainy, which is a huge blessing! This has been the hottest summer on record in Denver since 1901. And to actually have rain and cool temps is great! So here is my sweet baby girl all wrapped in her beautiful, cozy blanket taking a nap. The blanket is a gorgeous gift from my sweet neighbor Teri. She has a similar one that she received as a gift when her daughter, Hyacinth, was born last November. Teri must have seen the envy in my eyes and known it would be a perfect gift for Regan. And I do have to point out the quilt the lines the bassinet in her pack and play that she is laying on. About 3 days before Regan was born my Mom gave me a huge bag filled with a bunch of clothes she had saved from when my sister and I were babies. And one of the items was a beautiful quilt my Grandmother Hurley, who was very special to me and has since passed on, made for me when I was a baby. Now many of you know about the blue quilt that I have had with me through every move (including 4 years in college) that she had made for me when I was older, but I never knew she had made this one for me as a baby! So it is wonderful for me to have my baby girl use it as well. I know Grandma would have treasured Regan.

Regan and I have made it two whole days without Daddy or Connor. And also without Chase, my Dad took him for a while. I love my dog dearly, but let's face it I got a pure-bred WIMP! He has extremely sensitive ears and everything bothers him! He doesn't like thunder or high pitched whistles or the sound of a dripping faucet, he's just a very cute neurotic Aussie. Lately his problem has been a smoke detector, when one in our house needs the battery changed, we will know it inside of a minute! But this one is inside someone else's house! We think the people that live behind us have one that needs a battery change and have decided to close the bedroom door and ignore it! Which would not be a problem except that they also left the window open so you can hear it in our backyard! Which means Chase WILL NOT go outside to take care of business! We have been trying to walk him a few times a day, but let's face it- I just had a PERSON CUT OUT OF ME and can't take him for a long enough walk for his highness to do all that he needs to. So he has decided to do it inside- seriously gross, which is very unlike him. We have enough poop to deal with right now! So my Dad has taken Chase for a while. You have to understand that when I got Chase ten years ago for my birthday I had originally wanted a Chocolate or Yellow Lab and when a friend told me she knew of some pure-bred Aussies for sale I mentioned it to my Dad and he went nuts! He and my Mom had an Aussie when they first got married, but had to give her up before my brother was born because the apartment they were moving to would not allow animals. So he has always loved Chase as his own. It has lessened just a bit once he got his own Aussie a year or so ago. And if you ask Chase if he wants to go see Grandpa- he goes bonkers!

And now onto explaining poor Regan's plight... Poor baby, it's not enough the she decided he entry into this backwards world would be sideways, which would incur a broken wing, but everytime we have taken her to our PCP for a checkup she winds up getting a heel stick! And to add insult to injury, she has pink-eye and colic! If she makes it through this, she will definitely be one tough little girl. I pity any fool who messes with my little girl. So she still as the splint for the next couple of days and we have to pry her little eye open for ointment every four hours. And at night she either gets a bath in the WONDERFUL Johnson's Bedtime Bath and lathered in the same lotion and also gets Gripe Water in every bottle. I have dug out my infant massage book I bought with Connor (who was THE calmest baby ever) and have learned some tricks to ease her distress. But the biggest trick is laying her skin to skin on me so she can hear me breathing and my heartbeat and we just rock until she falls asleep. Any of you who have had to share this experience know how distressing it can be to hear that pain filled cry, but the best part out of it is laying there in the quiet, dark of the night, with only the sound of Bill sleeping, rocking my daughter into some sort of peace. Amidst all of this, it is wonderful to be a Mother...

See ya, Melinda

Little girl's broken wing and gooky eye!

First Grade...

So he made it! Connor started first grade this past Monday and will go all day from 9-4. He will eat lunch there and I know he will learn so very much. His teacher is Mrs. Bittler, who I am glad to see is young and enthusiastic about being with 6 & 7 year olds. And he has a few kids from his kindergarten class in this year's class, but Connor was relieved to know that they will all eat lunch at the same time, so he eats with a couple of his pals from last year.

Bill was still on family leave from Regan's birth, which I was SO thrilled about! I was so very worried about how I was going to handle not getting any sleep and getting Connor and Regan ready, fed, dressed, lunch made and out the door in time. But Monday Bill helped me with all of it! So Connor had a good breakfast, I made him his fav lunch- bologna and cheese with ketchup (don't ask...) cheez-its, apples and juice. And I also included a little Mommy love note on a napkin, which he didn't even see until I pointed it out to him when we picked him up. But he loved it and now it has become my little mission to write him a different one everyday. But to make them interesting, like have a joke or a science fact or some stickers.

Anyway, we got out the door on time and got to school in time for us to find the spot where the older kids line up. Since all the schools are on lockdown, the kids line up on the playground out back and all go in and out of the back doors. Makes ya feel real good about such a safe world- doesn't it??? He got in line with his 30lb backpack full of supplies and the overflow supplies in a plastic bag for him to carry along with his lunchbox. The first day they did let the parents go in and see the where the classroom was and see the kids begin to settle in.

Connor found his desk and let me tell you I have never seen a bigger smile on this child's face until he realized he would get to have his VERY OWN DESK! Then the class gathered in a circle (yes we noticed he is the tallest one!) and began to introduce themselves. I am sure it will be Christmastime before Connor actually listens and remembers everyones name! And off he went, into elementary school!!! I managed to make it all the way back out to the car before I broke down. Thank God Bill was there, because I CRIED! I know I just had a baby, but Connor has been my constant companion since the day he was born. We went everywhere together and now it's time for him to move on.

We picked him up after school and took him out for a celebratory milkshake to hear all about first grade. The best part for Connor? They have TWO recesses! And they had art this week for specials and they are making a watermelon. And Mrs. Bittler has yellow hair like Mommy and Regan's, except with curls. And he ate lunch with Elijah and Tim and they all played "monster" at recess. And if you have to go potty, you don't raise your hand, you put your blue circle on your desk and the teacher lets you go (girls get pink circles). It was a very good day!

Tonight is back to school night and I will actually get to meet Mrs. Bittler face to face and check out the classroom. And since Connor is now in first grade he can join Tiger Scouts! A fact that makes my Father (Mr. Eagle Scout) very pleased. So that was it for the first day of first grade. We have now made it to Thursday. I'll update you on little Miss Regan later on... that is a story in itself!

Connor and the mega supplies!

Goofy brother with his sleepy little sis

Meeting up with old pals!

At his own desk- I swear he WAS smiling!

The class getting to know each other!

I am very proud of you my first grader!

Love, Mommy

Trip to Chicago...sort of

It has been about two weeks since Regan entered the world and Melinda and I thought we should treat ourselves because of all the hard (sleepless) work we have put in so far. We were having a casual conversation and neither of us can remember, but one of us said "wouldn't a Chicago dog sound good about now!" You didn't have to convice me, so we packed up the kids and drove to Chicago's. It is a Chicago style, Vienna Beef, eatery here in Denver. Believe me, we do not get good beefs or dogs around here, so this place is a real treat.

The owner use to live in Chicago and started with a hot dog cart. He had a restaurant in Chicago after his success with the cart and retired in Colorado. His family came with him and since they could not find a good beef joint, they went back into the family business.

We take a trip up there, just west of Denver about twenty miles, about four times a year. I know for you Chicago homies, a place like this is on every corner. It has mucho Chicago memorbilia and flat screen TV's that show the sports teams and other interesting Chicago stuff.

So, I'm a sentimental beefaholic. It is the one day Melinda looks the other way and let's me bask in a combo, Italian Beef with an Italian Sausage and a glass of water, no coke. The price is reasonable and the sandwich is big, I'll admit I'm full about half way, but I proceed to take a deep breath and inhale the rest.

I don't know what it is about food and places, sort of God's memory box for us I guess. Makes me think back to some good ol' days and now I can share them with my children, although Connor got a PB&J. However, Connor enjoys it there, he likes the Blues Brothers and he'll, with no solicitation from me, put the movie in the DVD player and we'll watch the movie, he likes to skip and go the singing parts and the crash sceens.

At any rate, enjoy if you can, "this beef's for you!"

Two more weeks..

Just a quick update about Regan's broken wing. We saw the orthopedist yesterday- what an ordeal that was! Apparently they have two offices, one in Lone Tree near our home and the other way out in BFE! So naturally when we got to the closer office where I thought out appointment was, they told us we had to drive over to the other office where our appointment actually was. After getting there 20 minutes late and getting the stink eye from the receptionist and filling out a medical history for an 8 day old child, the doc sees us and tells we have to get another x-ray. So we leave all of our stuff in the office and I carry Regan down a floor while managing to give her a bottle at the same time, to where they perform x-rays. And after explaining to the receptionist there that she really did break her arm and not her collarbone (which no one can seem to believe) she tells us there isn't an x-ray tech available to come to that office. SO we have to go down another floor to the ER and have them take the x-ray. After explaining to the techs in the ER that yes she broke her arm, they take the x-ray and we go back up 3 floors to the doc office where he tells us in 2 minutes that the break is aligned and healing and she should be out of the splint in two more weeks. Two hours later we get to leave. But the good news is that is healing properly and Bill and I have become pros and re-wrapping the splint and dressing her so the arm isn't even disturbed!!

That's it for our day!
See ya, Melinda

One week old!

Well we have made it through the first week! And we are all still around to tell you about it. Regan is doing wonderfully. We had one teeny-tiny scare Saturday evening, her splint slid right off her little arm, mostly because the swelling has gone down, which is good, but we freaked! So our PCP told us to take her to the ER and they were able to re-wrap it for us, which we watched very closely in case we needed to do again ourselves. The doc also felt the break site and felt some calcifying already, which is really good. Tomorrow we go to the orthopedist and they will do another x-ray to see how it is healing and hopefully be able to determine how much longer she will need the splint. I have gotten creative with her clothes. She has a few little dresses that are sleeveless and they slip right over the splint, but I had to take some onesies and cut the right sleeve open so it slip right over her shoulder and be pinned. But we only have a few more weeks and then it is on to all those cute clothes!

Other than that small drama, life is good. We get up two times a night for feedings, but all in all she is a good eater and sleeper. Connor is enjoying being a big brother and so far we haven't had any jealousy issues. The one that is surprising me is Abby, or "Reverend Mother" as we call her (get it? Nuns live in an Abby?) she has been so attentive to Regan and will sit by her bassinet or peek through the netting of the pack and play to see how she is doing. She also lets us know if Regan makes even one peep! I was so worried how Abby would act around Regan, but it is like her mothering instinct just kicked right in. Whereas Chase could seriously care less.

My sister left to go home today. It was so great to have her here and spend time with her. I almost forgot how much I love being around her. Amazing how the person you fought over socks with in high school can turn into your best friend as an adult! She is such a great Aunt and loves Connor and now Regan so much. Her baby is due November 4th, hopefully I will be able to go and see her soon after that.

I am doing ok. I did have to go back to my OB today because I was in a bit more pain than I had been in before. My incision was burning on the right side and it is very bruised there as well. Turns out that it the side they really had to pull and retract in order to get Regan out correctly. So the nerves are just very sore and raw. And I also was officially told I was doing way too much. So I guess I need to listen and take it easy. It's just hard! I have this beautiful baby girl and I am DYING to show her off!! There will be time for that....



Ok, here is the mean Mommy- but I just had to take a picture in this cute little sundress!





This is for my sister, who did not appreciate the other picture I posted of her on the blog. So here you go Em, the whole blogging world will see how cute you really are!!

Well, time for a nap!

See ya, Mel