Here are a few pics from tonight...

Notice my poor baby is upside down...


...in this one too!


But he's soooooo happy in this one...and SO big!


Yeah, Dad looks kinda drugged but he's not...and look at the good smile from Elijah! He sure loves his Dad!!!!

So here's the scoop on me...my OB isn't real happy with my blood pressure. He thinks it was still too high yesterday (Wednesday) when it was about 140 over 90. He said I needed to see my regular family doc because by now, if it were pregnancy or post-pregnancy related, it would be done. So I saw my GP today...well, he's not the GP I chose but he's the one I'm stuck with. My GP left to move to Illinois or something like that. So Dr. Mathew is the new dude, and he isn't concerned, even tho today I was like 125 over 90. I told him this is WAY high for me but whatever...I'm just that patient, right? So we talked about stuff, like the headaches I have and so forth. So this is the dork's diagnosis...I have a sinus infection and that explains the headache. My BP is high cuz of the pain from the sinus infection. So he sends me on my way with 3 prescriptions...one for a sinus med (decongestant, etc), one for an anti-inflammitory, and one for a pain med. Sure guy...whatever! I got home from the pharmacy and was talking to Adam about all this, and noticed that on the sinus med, it said it bold print, all capital letters; "THIS MEDICINE IS EXCRETED IN BREAST MILK! DO NOT BREAST FEED WHILE ON THIS MEDICATION!" Dummy...I should have told him that my baby isn't a Racine ghetto formula fed thug child! Sorry...this whole city is just making me mad right now. So after calling the pharmacist, my doctor, my OB and the pediatrician, it was decided the med was safe...if I were taking it more than twice a day, they might be more concerned. I'm still a little concerned. But Elijah seemed to do OK today, and he's sleeping now (it's 2am!) so I guess he's OK. But I still think my GP is a crazy, drug pushing moron but whatever. He gave me an extra week off from work...and since I hate my job SO much and am trying so hard to find a new one, that's OK. Maybe my BP is high because I've been realizing I have to go back to my crappy job and my company is going to try to take advantage of me again. Or maybe I'm just nuts....

I don't know...I do know I should go to bed now. Adam has already gone to bed for the night. But I want him to sleep well since he has to work 7am to 6pm tomorrow. So I'm gonna kill some more time until he's totally asleep and then I'll go to bed.

Elijah has his 2 month appointment on Wednesday the 17th. I'm anxious to go because I think he's grown a lot, and I have a few questions regarding our whole breastfeeding situation...but I'm apprehensive because he's getting his first round of shots. Poor baby! He's so overly dramatic about everything else that I'm sure this whole shot thing is going to be the end of his little world . Well, at least I don't have to go back to work until the 22nd so I'll have a week with him to reassure him that it's not quite the end of the world...

So thus ends my update for now...hope you enjoy the post!

Yeah, OK...I am so tired of the diaper blowouts that we seem to be experiencing so frequently over here. I think we have just two options: either I'm going to invent some diapers that actually WORK or Elijah is getting potty trained. Hehe...poor little guy can't even completely hold his head up yet! Or stand up...or crawl...or talk...pooh...guess the second one is out of the question right now. And I wouldn't know where to start with the invention...not to mention I'm sure Pampers and Huggies have special spy-type people that would come to my apartment, blow up my clandestine diaper lab and take me into custody for questioning. Then they would brainwash me, and I would probably end up redecorating my house in disposable diapers.

Our stupid apartment building management has really done it this time! First they tell us that we won't be able to use the laundry room for like a week because they're going to put in new tile as part of their plan to "better the apartment community"... we have a list of stuff that needs to get fixed in our "LIVING QUARTERS" but hey, I guess I should be thankful for that freshly tiled floor in the storage/laundry room. However, there is a note on our main door saying that due to the new tile project, we need to GET OUR STUFF OUT OF OUR STORAGE COMPARTMENTS so they can put tile in there too. And if we don't move the stuff, and label our compartments with our names, they will consider it abandoned and dispose of our things. WHAT? First of all, if all the apartments are leased, and all the compartments are full, THEN THEY AREN'T ABANDONED! And just where do they want us to put our things? Duh...if they all fit in our apartment, we wouldn't need the storage area! And HELLO...it is January in Wisconsin...the weather is unusually nice right now but it could snow tomorrow. WHY ARE WE RENOVATING IN JANUARY? And this stupid note doesn't say WHEN they're doing this work so for all I know, they're downstairs now. I'm irritated...and I'm not the only one. The girl downstairs said her boyfriend just moved in last week and now their storage is PACKED. She said there's no way they can move all that stuff anywhere. Adam and I agree...why should we drag all that stuff up 3 flights of stairs?

I need a nap today...I am a little on the cranky side.

Well, my blowout baby is awake again and wants to eat...gonna go feed him some steak! (Not really, but it sounds good to me!)

eeeeeeewwwwwwwww

OK, yuk...that's what I have to say. I really don't want to elaborate too much but let me put it this way -- I have VERY FEW clothes that actually fit me! It's not like I'm trying to fit into way small clothes, either. I just wanted something comfy to wear around the house and guess what? EVEN THE CLOTHES WITH AN ELASTIC WAIST AND STRETCHY FABRIC LOOK PRETTY GROSS RIGHT NOW. I guess I shouldn't really care...I'm pretty sure Elijah doesn't mind if I look like a cow. And I know the cats don't care. But I do...*sigh*

On a different note, I think I'm going to take down our Christmas tree and decorations today. There is no snow on the ground and it doesn't feel very holiday-like or festive anymore. Besides, my parents surprised Adam and I by having two bookshelves put together in our apartment for us when we got home from Iowa. Thanks again, Dad and Mom! So I need to make some room in the living area for them so I can get the books on them...right now, the cats seem to think the shelves are sleeping areas for them! Come to think of it, anything new we bring in here becomes a "cat nap area" for a short time! Crazy felines...

I think maybe I'm going to take a nap first...Elijah finally decided to start to fall asleep at about 3:15am last night/early this morning. Yeah, he got that from me I think...I can go to bed at any given time and it takes me about 45 minutes to actually fall asleep. Since Adam had to be at work at 7am this morning (means he leaves at about 6am), I kept Elijah out of the bedroom until I was sure he wasn't going to scream (the ONE downfall to having him sleep in our room I guess...but it makes feeding him easier and I think he likes being closer to us!). So once his little eyes stayed closed for about 10 minutes, I started to move into our bedroom. He woke up, of course, but he was sooooooo tired! I wonder what makes humans fight sleep sometimes? Ok, so anyway, we went through the whole ritual of him spitting out his pacifier about 30 times...and I had to keep turning the vibrating thing of his pack-and-play's bassinet back on for the next half hour or so...and he needs his back rubbed before he can sleep...and then he started snoring (seriously!)...but then he turned his head over and it was quiet. TOO QUIET...I'd start to fall asleep and then I start thinking "Why can't I hear him breathing?". So I'd sit up and put my hand on his back...yup, still breathing! I usually do this about 2-3 times and then exhaustion kicks in. So, he probably fell asleep shortly after 4am...I think I looked at the clock at 5am for the last time.
I am truly a spaz!

SO ANYWAY, that's why I think I'm going to nap quick. Elijah is snoozing in his swing and it is yucky outside (sun hasn't been out at all today) so it's a perfect time to just sleep for an hour maybe. Then it'll be feeding time and almost time for Adam to be coming home from work. Tonight needs to be a bath night for Elijah, too. Adam and I think he may be starting that 6-week old growth spurt because he's been eating more frequently again. However, he seems to be pooping everything out...I don't know where he puts all of it INSIDE because it hardly fits in his diapers when he poops it out! Wow...that may have been too much info for everyone!

Any day now...

We were doing so well...granted, I'm a little bit apprehensive about letting Elijah sleep on his tummy but he has been sleeping SO well. He sleeps between 2.5 and 3 hours at a time with minimal fussing prior to passing out. And he wakes up in a good mood each time, eats happily, burps quite loudly and then goes back to sleep (after he gets his back rubbed for a few minutes!) It has been a good few days here...

It is now 2:06am...my child is wide awake and has been since his dad got home from work. He has dozed off a few times but only for about 5 minutes. I'm getting sleepy and he is wide awake, staring at me from his swing. I'm am so very tempted to leave him swinging and just lay on the couch but I've got this issue with even thinking about being sleepy myself when he is awake. I just wish he would get tired already ...

Let's see if I can find some good pics to put up to keep myself busy for a few minute...
Oh how I LOVE this picture! He was so happy after our drive back to Wisconsin.


This, however, was the look I gave Adam when he tried to take my picture after our drive back to Wisconsin! (EDITOR'S NOTE: anyone else notice that my chin resembles a butt?)


I stole this picture from Caitlin...he looks so small!


This is my fat boy, Dizzy...it's pretty tough to get good pictures of him because he's camera shy . But he's getting "up there" in ferret years so I want to be sure to get a few pics of him posted, too...

OK folks...that's all for now...sigh...sleep would be so nice right now! Guess we'll be sleeping in tomorrow

Yeah, I know...posts and pictures are scarce right now. But in my defense, my child didn't go to sleep last night until NOON TODAY! Yeah, we put him to bed, he slept for about 20 minutes, woke up screaming and was not really in the mood for anything. In fact, I FELL ASLEEP nursing him once and he woke me up to let me know it was time to switch sides! That was about 5am. I thought once or twice that he was finished but no...when I attempted to move at all he protested quite loudly. Finally, about 7am, I couldn't even think any more...he'd eaten again, been changed and rocked and sung to and had his back rubbed and we did his "leg presses" (ya know, to get the gas out!)...there was nothing else. I laid him in his crib and went to try to sleep...20 minutes and "Lungs" was at it again. I let him cry, thinking he was just "consoling himself to sleep"...I have read that some babies need to cry to fall asleep...no, he wasn't going to sleep for ANYTHING! Adam left for work and I remained strong for about a half hour and gave up. What moron decided that it's OK for moms to let their babies cry? Am I going to get any sleep with him screaming in the next room, or when he's in the room with me? DUH...so anyhow, he and I went through the above ritual until noon today; that's when "Lungs" decided it was time to sleep. Bless him...I actually slept for almost three hours after that ordeal.

So, my apologies if my presence here is not as frequent as it used to be. I try because I know it's tough for those of you who are far away! So I'll post a bunch now and hopefully that will tie Caitlin over for the next few days!


This is one of my favorite recent pics of him...this is how he practices getting his mouth open REALLY wide for those early morning "lung strengthening marathons"!




You might not be able to tell but that is a sticker from a banana that says "Stick this to your forehead and smile"...Dad thought it would be funny to stick it on Elijah's head...and on the cats who protested quite a bit!







...and one more that I'm sure you'll love...

You can go ahead and say it...he looks like his dad . I'm not sure what he got from me yet...maybe just a warm place to live for 40 weeks!

bath time!

Bath time! He actually seemed to enjoy this quite a bit! It made me happy to see him so content...

Such modesty...he crossed his legs right when we took the picture...

Dad wanted to take a picture of him all soaped up...and that crazy duck almost swam away before we got the picture taken.

He wasn't too happy when we took him out of the bathtub...and Dad was making fun of him (I don't think that helped the situation but it did make for a good picture!)

All warm and toasty in his reindeer blanky...he slept for about 2 hours like this...guess we tired him out!

That's all for now...

first check up and pics

Elijah had his first checkup today...here's his current stats (and old ones for comparison):

11/17/06 (His birthday!) : 7 lbs, 10.4 ozs and 18.5 inches long

11/21/06 (we came home) : 7 lbs even and 18.5 inches long

11/29/06 (today) : 7 lbs, 6 ozs and 19.5 inches long

As his Dad so nicely pointed out, at this rate he'll be taller than his Mom in no time! We have to go back for a weigh-in next Friday since he's not back to his birth weight just yet. Of course, this makes me a little worried. I know this child is eating FREQUENTLY enough...I think he'd allow himself a permanent hook-up if I'd let him! But I just hope the QUANTITY is enough. I need to know that I'm providing him with enough! I think an inadequate milk supply might be too much for my crazy hormonal state....

Let's see...what else? Dr. Milonas (that's Elijah's doc!) sort of laughed at us when we told him that Elijah hates his crib. He said that's just because Adam and I are too nice. Maybe...but the other night, we reluctantly decided to try to let him cry himself to sleep. I laid awake for the hour and a half it took him to stop crying...and I felt like the worst mother on the face of the planet. Ugh...I wonder who this will be harder on? But I do know that he can't sleep in bed with us forever; and I know that I need to spend more nights in my bed than on the couch! Plus, I think Adam will feel so much better once he knows I'm getting some decent sleep.

Pretty much, Dr. Milonas said he's healthy and doing well. I have to say I'm pleased with our pediatrician. He's very easy to talk to and I have felt comfortable with him since the beginning. And Elijah seems to like him (at least until the shots start coming, I'm sure!). PLUS, he milked our son today. Yes, you read that right! He was explaining to us how Elijah is getting all of my hormones right now and babies go through this sort of "newborn puberty" and we shouldn't be alarmed by some of the effects...like we may see baby acne or we may see a drop or two of milk on his nipples -- then he squeezed one of them and sure enough, there was milk! I was stunned and slightly amused...Adam wasn't looking at the time and he said he's glad he didn't see it because that's crazy!

Anyway, here are some pictures!


This is Elijah trying to escape his changing table prior to his first bath at home...he hates so much to be naked!

This was afterwards...in his hooded frog towel. He looks a little happier, hey?

Elijah and Dad, all dressed after his bath. This is one of Dad's favorite outfits (it says "All Star" on the front).

This one is especially for Grandma and Grandpa Guenther...you got us these socks for my baby shower and this may be one of the last times he wears them! Either his feet are getting longer or those bird toes are!

And this one is especially for Grandma Bright...sorry about my finger on the left (I am a terrible photographer!). We got this outfit from you for my baby shower and I've been telling Adam ever since then that I couldn't wait for him to be big enough to wear it. It's still quite big (notice those HUGE cuffs on the sleeves!) but that's OK because he'll be able to wear if for awhile.

One of the quieter moments...he's a good snuggler!