4 Months Old!

I say it every month but, how has 4 months passed already!? Cole is growing and changing everyday and getting cuter by the second!

Sleep: Cole is sleeping in his crib now!! Mommy cried the first night but, we survived! He is still sleeping all night and is also still being swaddled. He has been breaking his arms out by the middle of the night and stretching them over his head; so, we tried to put him down without the swaddle. He would be sound asleep in my arms but the minute I laid him down he'd wake up and smile and gurgle at me! :) I repeated the routine 4 or 5 times and he still didn't say asleep. Needless to say, we are still using the swaddle, only at night. He is asleep around 9 p.m. and is sleeping till around 6 a.m.

He is still napping great at daycare, sometimes sleeping two hours at a time mid-morning! He is still being snuggled by Miss Kelly while he sleeps ;)

Eating: Cole is still eating like a champ, eating about every 2-2.5 hours. He used to take 4 bottles during the day while I was at work, but now he is only taking 3. He is still drinking about 5.5 ounces of breast milk. He is still spitting up a ton. I contacted the doctor again with my concerns and she said to try 2 teaspoons rice cereal per 2 ounces in his bottle. I have been reluctant to do so, because I have read and heard a lot of negative things about it. I tried only 1 teaspoon of rice cereal first and it didn't help the spit-up at all. He also seemed very fussy after each bottle with rice. Then, we tried oatmeal because we heard it was easier on the tummy. We have been using it for about a week now and it might be helping a TINY bit. I wanted to make sure we at least tried it before his doctor's appointment next week so I could tell her we at least tried it and then maybe we can come up with a new game plan. I am just so worried his throat/esophagus is raw from so much spit-up, but he's such a HAPPY spitter!

Diaper Size: Still size 2, but I recently bought 3's with some coupons we had.

Clothes Size: Cole is still wearing 3-6 month outfits, I thought for sure he'd be out of them by now!

Other Fun Facts:

*Cole is really holding his head up a lot now! All of a sudden one night during tummy time he just lifted up like a little turtle and there has been no turning back! He even keeps his head up without looking for his fist to insert into his mouth!

*Cole is still pretty obsessed with his hands or any other thing he can put in his mouth, burp cloth, bib, Mommy's sleeve, stuffed toy.... He is also a slobber machine! I'm thinking he is teething!!!

Blowin' bubbles!

*Cole has started to laugh a little. The first report of a "belly laugh" was at Miss Kelly's house. Dave and I have tried pretty much every night since trying to get one, but no success, just a ton of HUGE smiles.  He also laughed at our neighbor Jaime several times and Dave and I finally got to hear it, what a sweet sound! I'm anticipating more in the coming month!

*Cole "officially" rolled over on March 6th. I say "officially" because he technically did it at Miss Kelly's first, but she didn't see it, and if it doesn't happen in front of me, it doesn't happen, haha. She is on strict orders not to tell me about any of his milestones if they happen at her house first. What happens at Miss Kelly's stays at Miss Kelly's. I absolutely hate knowing that I missed his first laugh and first roll while I was at work :( Anyway, on March 6th, we had Cole laying on a towel on his belly, naked (trying to air out a diaper rash situation). He rolled over not once, but TWICE! Dave and I were both right there to see it and Mimi too! Of course, I had to skype Gigi and Pops because his naked-self was just too cute and he rolled over again, so they got to see it too!

*Cole had his first golf-cart ride last weekend at Gigi and Pops. I knew it was just a matter of time before Pops had a golf-cart to take Cole on! Dave helped Pops clean it up and as soon as the sun came out, they were off. Cole enjoyed it, until the sun was in his eyes. Good thing Aunt Crystal and Lexi got him some shades! :)

*Aunt Kitty and Uncle Bobby were kind enough to buy Cole an exersaucer to keep at Gigi and Pops' house! We tried it out while we were visiting and Cole is just a tad too short for it yet but, we can tell he's going to log some time in there this summer bouncing and playing! :)

Cole had to wear his racing suit for Uncle Bobby! :)

Check out these toys! :)

Still hanging on to that patch of dark hair in the back I was born with!

* While we were visiting Gigi and Pops I decided to break out Dad's baby book to check out some pictures. Several people have said they think Cole resembles my Dad, I didn't see it. As we opened the first page of the baby book, our jaws dropped! Cole is the spitting image of Dad as a baby! It is CRAZY! Pops was already BEYOND proud of his grandson, now you can only imagine how tickled he is!

Some other pictures from our visit:

Abby hanging with Cole and I in Pops' garage :)

She slept with us every night, she is so sweet!

Cole and Mom-Mom

* We go for Cole's 4 month check-up and shots :( next week. I will post his official stats then. I can't wait to see how much he weighs. I also really want to find some answers about his spit-up habits and am wondering when she will suggest introducing foods! 

More pics for you to enjoy:

Still has that one dimple!

Found him like this one morning, thought it was funny!

Too Cool on my 4 month birthday walk!

3 months old!

Wow! 3 months old already!!! :)

Sleep: Again, Cole is still great sleeper at night! I know some of my friends would like to punch me after reading/hearing this all the time! We have moved him to his pack n' play and still doing great. Still being swaddled though, and loves it! I hope I don't jinx us by bragging ;)

He naps well with Miss Kelly during the day, probably because she snuggles him while he sleeps :). His morning naps are always longer than his afternoon ones!

Eating: Cole is on a great feeding schedule, still eating every two hours. Sometimes he sleeps longer in the mornings so he goes a little longer between feedings. Still having only breastmilk because thankfully I am keeping up with his needs with what I pump during the day at school. Haven't had to break into the freezer stash. Pumping is going well at school but, very time consuming. I pump right before school, during my lunch, and recess, leaving only my 45 min planning time to eat, plan, and grade! I keep telling myself it is for a good cause and saves a ton of money. I know pumping and nursing doesn't work out for everyone so I'm very thankful I've had success!

Diaper Size: Size 2 already!!!!

Clothes Size: Cole is still wearing 3-6 month outfits!

decked out in Phillies gear with his signed ball from the Phanatic :)

Smilin' at Pops on his playmat :)

Other Fun Facts:

*We started putting Cole in his bumbo seat to see what he would do. He still struggles holding his head up for a long time so we will need to keep working on it. We put him on his tummy as much as we can but all he does is find his fist, stick it in his mouth, and put his head down to relax!

*Speaking of his hands, Cole has found them! He constantly has his fist or thumb in his mouth. The last few weeks he has started to grab at his toys so I try to stick a toy in his reach so he grabs that instead of sucking on his hands!

*He is still spitting up after every feeding. It is still a big inconvenience and laundry problem, but if that is the most of our worries, I will take it! He is obviously gaining enough weight! Last week I put the bumbo seat on the scale then I put him in the bumbo seat on the scale and the difference was 16 pounds! He is only 3 months old!!! Imagine what he would weigh if he kept all he ate down! haha

*Still getting most of my smiley pics on the changing table. Although he has recently started being quite bashful, especially in the mornings. When you look at him and smile, he smiles real big and buries his head in your shoulder. It is the cutest. thing. ever!

*Cole's new friend Delayne Mae was born Feb. 9th, a day after his three month birthday!

Lauri, Delayne, Cruz and his baby:), Cole and I

11 and 12 weeks old

So, ever since I started back to work I have meant to update the blog but no such luck! By the time I get home it is almost 5, then there are bottles to wash and refill, laundry to do and a diaper bag to pack. Not to mention feedings, and bathtime. Cole is enjoying time with his babysitter, Miss Kelly, and is always fat and happy when I pick him up! :) I love seeing him smile when I get there. He's been making me giggle every morning and evening during our car rides because he has started to enjoy looking out the window. He used to be asleep before I even clicked his car seat in the base. Now, he stays awake for about ten minutes taking in the views. He's certainly growing up!! Speaking of growing up, he has started sleeping in his pack n' play instead of his bassinet. We took him out of his bassinet because his legs were just too scrunched up! I couldn't stand putting him in his crib all the way across the house (you know, since our house is so big haha) so, we compromised and put his pack n' play at the foot of our bed. Even though he is right there, I still have the video monitor hooked up so I can just roll over and see him :) baby steps...haha. Also, Cole's new friend Delaney Mae was born the day after his 3 month birthday, I will post more with pics later (unfortunately I was in such a rush to go meet her I forgot my memory card and put Cole's pants on backwards! ha!) Again, this post is short because playtime is approaching :) Here are the latest pics!

What is this contraption you put me in?! Still struggling holding my HUGE noggin up! :)

Relaxin' with Daddy on a Friday night!

First night in pack n' play :)

Sleepin' on Uncle Mike's huge orange beanbag.

10 Weeks Old!

My maternity leave officially ended this week. I know I've said it before but, 10 weeks of my life have NEVER gone by so fast! Seriously, I can't believe it. I spent my last day home with Cole snuggling and trying to take a mental photograph of every second of the day. There were also a lot of tears! When I returned to work Tuesday, Cole was lucky enough to stay with Daddy for the day. That morning was pretty ugly, involving me leaving with a BOX of tissues in hand for the ride to work. Sweet Dave stood at the door waving Cole's little hand as I backed out of the driveway.....that.killed.me. Once I was at work I got myself together and made it through the day. I left at 4:00 on the dot and was home in record time! The only thing I brought in with me were Cole's bottles and I ran through the door to kiss his cheeks!!! The rest of that night I spent snuggling and kissing his face! The second morning back wasn't too much easier. This time, Cole was staying with Grammie, Dave's mom. Again, he did great and I couldn't wait to see him when I came home. Thursday, he stayed with his great-grandmother, Mimi, and had a nice visit with Aunt Becky as well. Friday he was with Daddy again. By Friday, I didn't cry AS MUCH when I left but still shed tears. I just hate leaving him and missing all his sweet smiles and coos! 

This post is short and sweet b/c I want to get off here and back to my little buddy. Enjoy some pictures:

Girlfriend Emily and Cole aka the spit-up twins

football with Daddy and the uncles

2 Months Old!

How is this happening? Two months of my life have NEVER gone by this fast! Cole is growing like a weed and getting cuter by the minute (which I didn't think was possible!) Here are the stats for this month:

Should have started taking his pic next to the dog when he was first born to track his growth, but I forgot!

Here's his week by week growth, you can click on the collage to see it larger. You can click on any of the pictures in the blog to make bigger :)

Sleep: Cole is still great sleeper at night! His last feeding is between 9-10 and he doesn't eat again until around 6:30-7:30 the next morning! He usually falls asleep about an hour to an hour and a half after his last feeding. He sometimes likes to play or just make noises while laying in his bassinet. He is still sleeping in our bedroom and I can't imagine him being in his crib all the way across our huge (haha) house! He has been making some odd noises in his sleep, taking a large gasp for air or coughing (because of his cold) This freaks me out but, doctor said it was normal!

During the day I do put Cole in his crib to nap. In the past I just let him sleep in his bouncy seat, swing, or in my arms. However, I've been really trying to lay him down in his crib where it is flat so he can get used to sleeping on a flat surface. When he goes to his babysitter when I go back to work, he will be sleeping in a pack and play, which is flat. He is doing a great job in his crib so far! I also like watching him on our video monitor :) He is still napping during the day after every feeding. He will usually want to sleep about 45 minutes to an hour after his feeding. Dave and I can definitely distinguish his sleepy cry from his hungry cry now so that makes things easier. We have been swaddling him for his naps and when he goes to bed at night. This puts him right out usually and helps him to sleep longer because he can't flail his arms around to wake himself up. God Bless whoever invented the swaddle blankets with the velcro! During the day I don't even have to swaddle him that tight, just enough to keep his arms still. Every picture we have of people holding him, he is in a swaddle! He seems to like his fleece one the best. Every time he slides his legs down in it he gets a smile on his face! I just ordered some more in the large size because I anticipate him using them for a while. Cole is so big, he is almost too long for the small/medium size. I was bummed because all of the cute patterns and prints are only in the small/medium.

Eating: Cole is getting on more of an eating schedule. He is still solely on breastmilk; sometimes getting it in a bottle from Daddy :) He eats every two hours, give or take about 15 minutes. In the morning he can sometimes go longer because he takes a longer nap. If we are out and about, he also goes a little longer because he sleeps a lot in the car seat. Because he sleeps through the night, I have to pump first thing so I don't choke him on his first feeding! I am getting about 6-7 ounces out of one side first thing in the morning and a couple more ounces out of the side he's done feeding off of! I pump again right before I go to bed so I'm not SO full in the morning. I think I'm going to cut out the pump before bed so my body doesn't think he's having another feeding and I'll produce too much. Needless to say we have a freezer FULL of milk and at least 4 bottles in the fridge at all times. Luckily, Grammie and Gigi's houses both have freezer space so Daddy will be transporting some over soon. This stock will come in handy when I have to go back to work, just in case I can't keep up with his needs since I will only be able to pump a few times during the day.

Not sure if I already posted this on a previous blog but, I caught this when he was nursing one day. He has done it before, praying for plenty of milk I guess! :)

Diaper Size: Cole is still wearing a size 1 diaper.  They fit great but he has had a couple blow-outs! Some have been because the diaper wasn't in the right position so it came out the side. However, he has had some go up the back!!! The other day I had to cut a onesie off him for fear of poo getting EVERYWHERE if I tried to take it off him normally!!! I'm sure when he is older he will love that I am sharing this with the world right now :)

Clothes Size: Cole is wearing mostly 3-6 month outfits already! There are a few 0-3 that still fit but I have broken into the 3-6 month drawer :) He has soooo many cute outfits, it stinks that they are covered up with a bib (and sometimes a swaddle blanket) 80% of the day! Although I'd rather change bibs 10 times a day than outfits!

Other Fun Facts:

* At Cole's last doctor's appointment (8 weeks old) he was up to 13 pounds 10 ounces! This puts him in the 90th percentile, which means only 10% of babies his age weigh more than him (I think)! He is 1 foot 11 inches long, putting him in the 75th percentile. He is also in the 75th percentile for his head size! Just means there is a lot of brains in there! :) He also got his immunizations at this doctor's appointment :( He was not a happy camper, and neither was Mommy, I think I cried as much as he did. The pain didn't last long though, he calmed down once I picked him up and was back to his cheery, smiley self when he woke up when we got home.

Cole's boo-boos :(

*We are still doing tummy time and he is starting to lift his head more and more. We also have been spending a lot of time on his playmat. He loves to stretch out after he eats and coo and smile at his toys and mommy and daddy.

*He is still spitting up quite frequently (after every feeding some days!). He is clearly gaining weight so I'm trying not to worry about it. He is also not acting like he is in any pain when he does it so its basically just a messy inconvenience, but we are learning to deal with it.

* Cole is still tolerating bath time. He also really enjoys getting his diaper changed! He is so proud of himself and what he has accomplished in his diaper! On the changing table is where I get A LOT of smiles and cute pics!

This is the pic we gave everyone for their Christmas present, I just LOVE his little dimple!

Even loves to be swaddled in his towel after his bath :)

*I am finally feeling like I can get **some** things done during the day (cleaning up the kitchen, laundry, etc.). However, I only have 2 more weeks at home. I can't even begin to explain my anxiety/depression I have about leaving Cole. I am not even going to write anymore about the subject because I am trying to avoid it at all costs......moving on....


*Cole is smiling tons and cooing also! It melts my heart every.single.time. I swear he does something and I don't think he can get any cuter and then, he does!!!!

 *Cole experienced his first two snow showers the past two weeks :) I hope we have a few snow days to spend together once I'm back at work.

I couldn't help but to put him in snowy attire :)

7 and 8 Weeks Old!!

More weeks have flown by too quickly! We have had a busy 2 weeks celebrating Christmas and New Years with friends and family.  Forgive me if I leave anything out!

Before Christmas, I had a few girls over from work to watch Christmas movies; however, with three baby boys, there wasn't much movie time, mostly playing, feeding, and chatting :) I can't believe I didn't snap a picture of the 3 adorable boys together :( 

We spent Cole's first Christmas Eve at Grammie and Grandpa's house. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and time spent together. We all received wonderful gifts. One gift in particular was very special. Cole received "Santa's Magic Key" (should've taken a pic of this but it is already packed away in the attic for next year). This is a key that we have to put outside our door on Christmas Eve to let Santa in because we don't have a fireplace. I cannot wait to start this tradition with Cole :) We ended Christmas Eve watching "A Christmas Story" while I fed Cole, I think he really enjoyed his first showing of such a classic movie ;)

Thanks to Uncle Jimmy for his photography skills :)

Christmas morning, Dave and I exchanged gifts and packed up for our visit to Elkton. Cole did great the whole way, waking up with only about 10 minutes left in the car. Again, we received terrific gifts and Cole got lots of new toys. One special gift was the book "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from Pops. This book is so special because it is recordable and Pops recorded himself reading the story for Cole to enjoy for years to come :). Crystal, Lexi, Mom Mom, Aunt Sandy and Uncle Scott visited Christmas night. The day after Christmas Cole met many new friends: Laura, Becky, and Betty Patterson, Jen and Rick Osowski, and John and Donna Bitely. Cole was an angel all day and did great getting passed from visitor to visitor. You will notice that almost every picture shows Cole in his beloved swaddle blanket. That boy loves to be swaddled, it helps him sleep and calms him down so Mommy and Daddy don't mind although I hate that it covers up his cute outfits!

I may or may not have staged this pic AFTER Christmas because of a spit up debacle that happened Christmas morning, hindering a photo shoot ;)

 Once home from Elkton, we continued to stay busy visiting with friends and doing things around the house. I noticed Cole was congested and coughing/gagging at night (which was super scary) so I decided to make him a doctor's appointment just to be sure it was just a cold. Sure enough it was just a cold, probably from the weather and the dry heat in the house. While at the doctor, Cole was weighed and he is a whopping 13 pounds and almost 24 inches long!!! He has a regular check up this week so I will update his stats then. We got some saline drops and ran the humidifier, he seems to be getting a little better. Hate to see my baby sick :( but, he is still in good spirits. We also brought Tucker over to spend a few days with us. This is the first time he has stayed with us since Cole was born. He is so good with Cole, just sniffing him a few times when he walks by. At night he slept next to Cole's bassinet, I assume to protect him. I even had a little photo op while Cole was playing on the floor. Tucker plopped down right next to him and everytime Cole flung his hands and touched Tucker's ear, he didn't even flinch, such a good dog!

We spent New Year's Eve as a family of three. Dave made an awesome rack of ribs and Cole enjoyed a milk feast of his own. The weather was so mild we even had a chance to take a New Year's walk :). Dave and I both fell asleep before midnight but I set my alarm for 11:55 so I could see the ball drop. I also took the time to decorate Cole for his first NYE!

I'll end this post with his two weekly pictures and a snapshot of two outfits I thought were too cute not to capture on film :)