Cole's First Blog

Squishy's Birth Story Part 2 - Where She Actually Gets Born

2012-01-19T08:41:00.001-05:00

I got called out in the comments of my last post because not only was it kind of boring, but also it was not an actual birth story since at the end Squishy was still an inside baby... Oops!

And then I just left you dangling for a few days while we got a bit more adjusted to life with Lulu home. Sorry about that, but I'll pick up where we left off:

Daddy and Grammy Boo met up with Mommy at the hospital and then just hung out for a while; Mommy had eaten lunch at 1:30, so they wanted to wait awhile before performing the procedure. At about 9PM, the nurse came in to prep Mommy and to give Daddy scrubs to change into - Mommy's platelet levels were high enough for a spinal block, so she got to be awake this time and Daddy got to be in the room!

Incidentally, Daddy and Grammy Boo are the least helpful waiting-for-c-section supporters ever. Daddy hadn't realized that he was going to get to be in the operating room, and he had a lot of questions about the procedure. When Mommy explained that the anesthesia was administered via a shot in the lower back spinal cavity, he blurted "Ouch, that's gotta hurt!"

o_O

Yes. Yes, a needle in between your vertebrae is probably not going to go unnoticed - thanks, Captain Obvious.

And then Grammy Boo, speaking to Lulu before Mommy was wheeled off, lamented how her poor granddaughter was just minding her own business and had no idea she was about to be "violently ripped from her warm and cozy spot."

Yup. VERY helpful.

Anyway, at about 9:30PM, they wheeled Mommy off and Daddy waited outside the room while they gave her the spinal block. The anesthesiologist was very impressed with how Mommy curled her lower back - a transfer of yoga skills! Mommy was a bit concerned about the whole needle in the back thing, *especially* since she wasn't in labor so it wasn't like there was anything to distract her, but it actually wasn't too bad.

MORE terrifying was the prospect of major abdominal surgery while she was wide awake; while this was clearly better for everyone involved, Mommy was not at all sure that she wouldn't have preferred to be knocked out like she was with me. (OBVIOUSLY, she definitely would not have preferred things to be like they were with me when all of the doctors were running around in a panic and she ended up in the ICU over night. This was definitely better. BUT, in the moment right before they began the first cut, Mommy thought maybe she'd rather not be as *aware* as she was.)

Daddy was let into the room, and sat up near Mommy's head where he held her hand. The first incision was made at 9:57, and I had a brand new baby sister at 10:01! Even though, technically, they're not supposed to after 10PM, Grammy Boo swears that the hospital played the lullaby in the hallways. She might just be saying that, though, because Mommy really wanted the music and was kind of fixated on it in an odd way.

Lulu was 6lbs 8 ozs at birth, and 19.5" tall. After a brief stop in recovery, she and Mommy were moved to a room and everyone marveled over how gorgeous she was until about 1:30AM when Grammy Boo and Daddy went home so that everyone could try and get some rest.

Mommy and Lulu stayed in the hospital until Friday evening, and have been home ever since. I have SO much more to tell you about how great a big brother I am and how much I LOVE my baby sister, but I will update that separately...

Possibly the Most Boring Birth Story Ever (Part 1)

2012-01-16T09:14:00.001-05:00

My baby sister, Eloise Belle, was born last Tuesday, January 10 at 10:01 PM. She made her debut at 19.5 inches tall, weighing 6 pounds 8 ounces - a little peanut!

Mommy was surprised by how little she was; when the doctors went all hysterical at the beginning of December and thought that they were going to deliver right then, they gave Mommy all of the steroid shots and a magnesium drip to speed up development. When things calmed down and they *didn't* end up delivering Squishy - and time went on and on - Mommy began to think that she was going to birth the Hulk. There was a LOT of doubt that Mommy was going to make it through mid-December, let alone get to full term on 1/2. Once Mommy hit 2012, therefore, she was ready to get off of bed rest and get my baby sister OUT. Of course, once Mommy was ready, all of her levels stabilized and the emergency passed. She still had to go to 3-5 doctor's appointments per week for monitoring and NSTs and biophysical profiles and platelet counts, etc, etc, etc. Every visit, she had some hope that there would be some progress and they would send her over to L&D, but test after test came back okay, and they scheduled her c-section for January 17.

Tuesday morning, she went to a regular Ob-Gyn visit, and was a little bit dilated and effaced, but nothing to get excited over. That afternoon, she went to the MFM, where Squishy performed fine on her NST, and Mommy's blood pressure was borderline, but not super high. The phlebotomist drew blood, but Mommy did not expect her platelet levels to have dropped - and she went into the ultrasound for her bi-weekly biophysical profile fairly confident that she'd be headed home within 20 minutes.

The ultrasound quickly revealed why Mommy had been so uncomfortable over the weekend; Squishy had shifted from head down to transverse, and was also facing forward so her skull and spine were pushed against Mommy's, and when Mommy stood up, Squishy's weight dropped and pushed her hips apart. (Seriously, Mommy had real difficulty walking all weekend.) The ultrasound also showed only one pocket of fluid - and that Mommy's fluid levels had dropped from 14 on Friday to 4 on Tuesday. The ultrasound tech conferred with Mommy's MFM, and they decided that it was Squishy's birthday!

Mommy is *convinced* that they only reason her fluid levels dropped was that, despite her 6 weeks of bed rest and knowledge of an imminent newborn arrival, neither her bag nor mine was packed. When she called Daddy to let him know that he should maybe come meet her at the hospital, she also had to give him a list of my stuff to gather and bring to Coach's house with me. At one point, both of our bags were packed, but then we needed laundry and stuff got added and taken out so they were just not ready at all. HAD they been neatly packed and waiting by the door, we would still be waiting for Lulu...

ANYway, Mommy headed over to the hospital, where Grammy Boo and Daddy met her, and got ready to have my baby sister. This was about as far from MY birth experience as possible. This post is already epic, so I'll finish the rest tomorrow - can you believe Lulu will already be a week old?!

The Baby Sister Formerly Known as Squishy: Eloise Belle - Thousand Word Thursday

2012-01-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.

Celebrity Look Alikes

2012-01-05T09:22:00.000-05:00

Last week, at a friends house, I saw a picture of Ashton Kutcher and proclaimed, "Uncle David! In the snow!"

Now, a comparison to Ashton Kutcher *could* be a compliment...

... but most of the time these days? Ashton looks kind of beat.

At any rate, Mommy is not really sure she sees the resemblance.

She is totally ready to see the world through my eyes though, since I picked up a photo from a magazine yesterday and happily exclaimed, "Mommy! Look like you, Mommy!"

Just for comparison, here is Mommy:

Not too bad for 7 months pregnant and no makeup. {Also? Kind of sad that the most recent pic of Mommy I have is 2 months old.}

Here is the woman I think she looks like:

So yeah. Mommy says that Uncle David can totally be Ashton Kutcher as long as she gets to be Jennifer Aniston.

Who do I look like?

Maybe toddler Ben from Friends?

2011 Goes, but 2012 starts out pretty much the same

2012-01-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

We are SO ready for a fresh start this January, but the turning of the clock from 11:59PM on 12/31/11 to 12:00AM on 1/1/12 did not really prove to be a magic-miracle answer.

Daddy went to the wedding of a close friend - which Mommy was *supposed* to go to also, but she's still stuck on bed rest, so we spent the night over at Grammy Boo and Coach's. I went to bed early, and Mommy had a good time eating hors d'oeuvres and playing Taboo... She was having a perfectly nice evening, right up until I woke up after vomiting at 11:45PM. Still, though, that would only have been a fitting eulogy to 2011. After a change of jammies, a drink of water, and some new sheets, I went back to sleep.

Only to wake up to throw up twice more at 12:15AM (all over Mommy). So much for a great start to our happy new year! I woke up every 2 hours over night with upset tummy, before sleeping a good 4 hour stretch from 6:30 to 10:30 AM.

So. That wasn't the best evening ever.

I haven't had any additional episodes since early Saturday morning, though, and we successfully ended 2011 without Squishy joining the family too early so we'll call that a win... and now Mommy is ready for her any time.

What did YOU do to celebrate the New Year?

28 Months

2011-12-29T08:59:00.001-05:00

Usually, when it's time to check in with a milestone post, Mommy and I look back at the month and wonder where it went so fast - notsomuch this December. We are SO ready to be done with 2011; Mommy doesn't feel well and isn't playing with me so much. That's not cramping my style TOO much - I've gone to the Botanical Gardens with Coach, ice skating with Aunt Debbie & Amy, and an open house at the animal center with Daddy - but the huge alteration to my routine has left me vaguely cranky.

Combine that with the general craziness of the holiday season and the general malaise that comes with any 3rd trimester (even those that are "normal") and we can't wait for January to get here. Seriously. Also? We're seriously late with this monthday post, but I turned 28 months on Christmas Eve and it's been kind of busy since...

We *did* make the best of it, and had a lovely, quiet holiday; Daddy made Mommy latkes with carrots and zucchini to celebrate Hanukkah, and I looked forward to adding a candle every night - and we spent Christmas with Uncle David & Aunt Angela, Aunt Rebecca, Grandma, and Aunt Angela's parents, John & Jeanette - I have been spoiled ROTTEN over the past week or so, and will have to make a separate post about my Hanukkah haul.

So, on to the BabyCenter milestones:

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)

Jumps with both feet - Yes. For sure.

Opens doors - I have successfully opened my bedroom door *once* and *I* was superproud, but Mommy did not seem psyched...

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)

Understands descriptions (e.g., big, soft) - Uh huh.

Draws a vertical line - I still hate these BC drawing milestones - quit trying to hamper my creativity! I don't have to draw lines if I don't want to...

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)

Starts to recognize ABCs - I know when there are letters on signs and shirts and stuff, but I don't know what all of them are.

Balances on one foot - Since the BC charts start working bimonthly after you hit the ripe old age of 2, we saw this on last month's check in, too. Mommy totally meant to test me on this (we're almost positive I can do it, but have never actually tried), but it slipped our minds. Sorry - someone remind me if you catch me on Twitter and we'll go for it.

I was saying cheese.

A Look Back at 2011

2011-12-23T09:01:00.002-05:00

January 2011

Pretty much? We will be ready to say good riddance to this year and all set for a better 2012. This fall, especially, has been a challenge for our family and we are all looking forward to a fresh start.

But, in the tradition of bloggers all over the interwebs, I figure I'll do our year in review here - you know, in case some of you missed a single riveting moment of my life over the past 12 months.

In January, we started out by hosting a New Year's at Noon party for all of my toddler friends; it was meant to be an annual tradition, but clearly we have enough on our plate this month - maybe next year... Also, I made the mistake of napping through a grocery trip, which caused OUTRAGE on my behalf. Not to worry, though - we fixed the problem the very next day. Finally, I invented a SUPERfun game.

I went on a couple of culinary adventures in February, and Mommy hatched a delusional plan to get rid of my binky. (Ha! hahahahahahahaha. and Ha some more. At least I only use it in bed now, but that thing is not going anywhere for a while. And you know what? Mommy's kind of okay with that. Judge if you must.) Mommy had her first MAJOR parenting fail, and then tried to distract you with that time she had a brilliant idea. I went skiing with Coach for the first time AND read my first book!

Mommy was still a bit sensitive about February's parenting fail, so in March, I pointed out the poor parenting skills in some popular nursery rhymes. We went to visit Dr. Andy about a million times (I'm not so good with the counting), and I got myself on a solid sleep schedule. I also figured out how to work my cute to my advantage.

In April, we went on a great family vacation to Mystic, AND met up with Suzanne. I discussed one of my very favorite foods AND offered some great photography tips.

Mommy was OH so tired in May, so we didn't have very many exciting adventures... Also, it rained a lot of the month so we were cooped up; I *did* get a chance to link up with Mandy and show off my super sense of style. I also followed Kari's lead and shared a day in my life with a "10 on 10" post.

June and July passed by in a crazy haze of family barbecues and running around like crazy people, but not actually doing much. Oh, except we did make a big announcement. And? Uncle Matt took us to Disney World. It. Was. AWESOME. I hope to go back soon!

I turned 2 in August, and had an awesome Mickey party to celebrate. Mommy wrote a helpful post for those of you who might be trying to plan your own toddler party. Because, you know, she's an expert.

September brought us to the end of summer, but not the end of our adventuring. We had an amazing family vacation at Rocking Horse Ranch and I caught the last of the mild weather on the playground with Max.

As a family, we had a difficult October. We had high hopes for a positive new year after Rosh Hashanah. It started out pretty well; we found out that Squishy is a girl, crafted up some crazy awesome Halloween costumes, and gave some babywearing advice. Also? I hit the big time AND moved into a big boy bed. Sadly, Grandpa spent the month in the ICU, and eventually lost his medical battles on October 28.

We laid pretty low in November; Daylight Saving Time put a slight hitch in my sleeping patterns, and I made the storytime circuit rounds only to find that I don't *really* belong in any of them. We also started to do some serious preparation for Squishy. Serious preparation = infant jeggings. Duh.

December started off with Mommy making an unexpected visit to the hospital. There was serious discussion about delivering Squishy right then, but Mommy stabilized and has been home on bed rest ever since. Mommy does not love bed rest. Even though Mommy's stuck at home, I've been going out and having adventures with Coach and Grammy Boo and Grandma and Aunt Debbie and Meredith and Amy - we're not doing *everything* Mommy had planned for the month, but I HAVE gone to the Botanical Gardens, the circus, and to visit Santa. I might be going ice skating today! Mommy has been driven so stir crazy that she was driven to actually {gasp} cook - even if it WAS the easiest recipe ever.

2012 can't help but start out better - Squishy will be here soon!

December 2011

Bias

2011-12-22T13:27:00.003-05:00

Mommy woke up this morning to this article on her iPad news page. She read the headline and cringed... and then read the story and became more and more angry. THEN the tweets started flying through my feed, and she just got annoyed.

Critical thinking skills, people. High school science: there is NO causal link demonstrated here between the formula in question and the tragic death of the infant.

A few things first: Mommy is really, really oversensitive about breast feeding and firmly believes in the right of formula to exist - if it didn't, after all, I would have been in big trouble. Also, the death of any child is an overwhelming tragedy, and we send thoughts and prayers to the grieving family. Finally, there may be facts in existence that were not presented in the article.

BUT. The headline, "Wal-Mart pulls powdered formula after Mo. baby's death" implies that the formula directly caused the child's infection - and *maybe* it did. The article, itself, though, does NOT support that being the case... and it became clear from my Twitter feed that many, many people did not read the full article before going into full on self-righteous Gisele-Bundchen-esque judgment of formula feeding.

The second paragraph of the story reads "No government recall had been ordered for the 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn powder with the lot number ZP1K7G. Manufacturer Mead Johnson Nutrition said its records showed the lot tested negative for the bacterium before it was shipped." The spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, went on to state "At this point it has not been determined whether the illness is linked to the formula or an outside source."

So, why is Walmart recalling the formula? Is Missouri placing a boil order on water in the family's area? Did they recall the bottles that were used? How about the child's carseat or toys, or anything else he may have sucked on?

Finally, it seems to us that Enfamil made more formula in the batch in question than the one can that this specific family used. Are there any other reported infant fatalities?

Again, it may be that there ARE facts that are not released in this specific piece that implicate the formula in some way, but the headline seems overblown and sensationalized to capitalize on the controversial breastfeeding vs. formula feeding debate.

Just our $0.02

Equal Opportunity Holiday Greetings - Thousand Word Thursday

2011-12-22T09:34:00.001-05:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.

Easiest Holiday Snack EVER

2011-12-20T09:48:00.000-05:00

Mommy? is allergic to cooking. Also? She's still supposed to be on bed rest, so you KNOW this is super easy.

For the past few years, we have made simple chocolate peppermint bark to give to friends and party hostesses and my teachers like Luke and the storytime librarian (she didn't get any this year - but mostly because we haven't had the energy to hit storytime, not because we're holding a grudge or anything).

Mommy is not a good photographer. I promise this stuff is better than it looks in these pictures!

Seriously. If Mommy can do this, ANYONE can do this. Probably I could even do this, but this particular batch was made after I went to bed.

Ingredients: 1 bag of chocolate chips, 1 box of candy canes, some mint extract

You can get whatever chocolate chips you want - or even add a layer of white chocolate on top of your semi-sweet. Mommy? does not like white chocolate (it's not chocolate!), so we leave that out of ours, but to each his own.

Candy canes are pretty easy to find this time of year, but you can also use a bag or starlight mints if you want. The most time-consuming part of the entire recipe is unwrapping your peppermint candy, so choose wisely.

We found our mint extract right near the other flavorings in our grocery store, but we have heard from friends that they had difficulty tracking it down where they live. Not really sure what to say to that - so, um, good luck I guess?

Unwrap your peppermint candy and bash it into smaller pieces. Usually, Mommy puts it in a large-ish ziploc baggy and has at it with the bottom of a saute pan. She was pretty sure that standing for a period of time and bashing hard candy repeatedly would be frowned upon by her MFM, so she decided to try the food processor this time instead; she threw it in the bowl and hit pulse a bunch of times. The food processor method did not work as well - we ended up with mostly too-big pieces and a bunch of candy cane dust. We recommend, therefore, the saute pan method, but your food processor will do in a pinch. Put your crushed up candy aside.

Dump your bag of chocolate chips in a bowl and throw it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between rounds, until they are fully melted. This probably takes about 2 minutes all together? Add in the mint extract a capful at a time until you've got your own preferred chocolate mint balance (Daddy likes this step - he got to taste). Pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with a layer of wax paper and spread it out so it covers evenly at about 1/4" thick.

Ours looks kind of lumpy because Mommy decided to change it up a bit this year and stir some of the candy cane dust/smaller pieces directly into the chocolate. While it did not adversely effect the final product, it made it more difficult to spread evenly and really didn't make it any better, so we won't do that again.

While the chocolate is still melty, pour the candy cane pieces onto the top. Press them into the chocolate slightly so that they stick into your bark. Put the cookie tray into the fridge until it sets - maybe an hour?

Once the chocolate is hard, peel it off the wax paper and break it into pieces. Put it into the container of your choice (last year we had snowman printed baggies; this year Mommy got plastic containers at the grocery store) and you are done!

Max's mommy likes it so much, she said she ate half of what we gave her within a few hours!

Bedrest Cookie Decorating - Thousand Word Thursday

2011-12-15T09:33:00.000-05:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.

Out & About

2011-12-12T09:13:00.000-05:00

Mommy is still on bed rest; Squishy is still an inside baby - nothing new to report there. In fact, Squishy got a perfect score on her first test - 8/8 on some biophysical profile or something. {So she'll obviously be following me off to Harvard.}

But just because Mommy is trapped at home doesn't mean I am!

On Friday, Coach took me to the Botanical Gardens to see the Holiday Train Show. I was SO excited to see Thomas and all of the other model trains set up in elaborate displays! Unfortunately, Coach is not really used to toddler wrangling by himself AND being the paparazzi at the same time, so we only have a few pics:

This way, Coach!

It's Thomas!

This guy was also hanging around - Coach and I are not really sure why. I gave him a high 5, though - that's the polite thing to do when you meet large furry characters.

On Saturday, Daddy and Grandma and Grammy Boo and Coach and I went to the circus. You guys? The CIRCUS! It. was. AWESOME. Mommy had checked and rechecked the site to get us the best possible tickets, and to find a discount code for them - and it paid off! We had great seats, right in the center. We saw horsies, and dog tricks, and acrobats, and it was so great - I was enthralled. A magician collapsed a box while a lady was inside of it and THAT was not my favorite part, but she was okay. And? Mommy told me to make sure I got some pink cotton candy (the blue stuff, she says, is just not right) and Coach got me some AND I had popcorn, too.

You weren't allowed to take pictures during the performance, so Grammy Boo tried her best to get some before the show, but they're not so great. {Mommy's camera has been broken and she WAS going to go to Costco to get it fixed or exchange it or something last Thursday, but then she had to go to the hospital instead so we're using Grammy Boo's camera for now.}

This was a gorilla shape that no one really succeeded in getting a good shot of me inside:

Fail #1. We keep telling Mommy that this was a gorilla cutout, but it looks more like a Yeti or something to her.

Fail #2. I think I was kind of falling out of my jacket.

Grandma and Daddy and I, very seriously ready to enjoy the show.

Pink Cotton Candy - yum!

On Tuesday my friend Trey and his mommy are coming over to make cookies and decorate them - maybe we will save them and someone can take me over to the firehouse to share with the volunteer firemen. Mommy's bed rest instructions say she's allowed to get up for showers and potty and meals, so it stands to reason she could prepare some food, right?

Just Keep Swimming

2011-12-07T12:45:00.005-05:00

So, yesterday's "woe is me" post? We're regaining our footing (not literally, because Mommy is still on bed rest, but we're feeling much better about it).

One of the stipulations for Mommy's continued outpatient status was that she purchase a blood pressure cuff and monitor herself a few times a day at home. She was to call if her systolic was over 140 and/or her diastolic topped 90. She acquired the cuff yesterday morning and her first reading was 145/90. Figuring that was obviously wrong, Mommy sat quietly for 5 minutes and tried again: 134/107. Well, that couldn't possibly be right, could it? She went to lay down and about a half an hour later rechecked: 146/90.

*Obviously* her cuff must be defective! She spent the afternoon resting and then headed off to rehearsal, where she had the school nurse give it a go: 144/89. Sigh.

A note for everyone who jumped all over the slipped-in rehearsal reference in that last sentence; judge if you need to, but Mommy NEEDED to be at the rehearsal in order to make her feel okay about stepping back a little bit for the next few weeks. She lobbied hard to be "allowed" to go, and while her doctor was not ecstatic about it, she did not outright forbid it. Mommy's priorities are, in order, Me, Squishy, her & Daddy, and her work. I honestly think that missing the rehearsal would have been detrimental to her blood pressure levels - in her head, she HAD to be there to get some ducks in a row.

Anyway, Mommy ran rehearsal and had discussions with the kids and parents and school admins about next steps; she made a plan that she feels comfortable with for the moment, and which allows her to follow her bed rest order with less argument.

Then she went home to check her pressure one more time before calling her doctor: 135/91. (See? How it went DOWN after rehearsal and getting a plan together?)

Dr. D was not spectacularly impressed with her "lower" reading, and sent her back to L&D for more monitoring/blood work.

A side note on what they are looking for: When Mommy was in labor with me, her doctors at the time discovered that she had developed HELLP syndrome, along with preeclampsia. HELLP is life threatening and kind of a big deal, so the big concern is that she will develop it again, and that is what they are watching for. For the moment, she does NOT have HELLP, or even preeclampsia. Lowered platelet levels *are* a part of HELLP, but they alone are not diagnostic, and she is not exhibiting the other indicators (red blood cell damage, elevated liver enzymes). Platelet levels can also be lower just as a part of pregnancy for no particular reason, or as part of an autoimmune condition - this is not considered HELLP yet. Additionally, just because she had it before does not necessarily mean she will develop it again, but no one wants it to get as far as it did before catching it this time around, thus the relentless monitoring. Also, while Mommy is showing *some* signs of preeclampsia, she doesn't have all of them, so no diagnosis there yet either. For the moment, she has pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational thrombocytopenia and they are merely watching to make sure that she does not develop something more serious and have it go unnoticed.

ANYway.

She and Grammy Boo and Daddy headed off to the hospital again. Her blood pressure was still not great when they got there and so they hooked her and Squishy up for monitoring and stuck Mommy about 17 times before finding a vein that didn't collapse or lock up before they could get a sample. Bloodwork came back okay, and she go to go home - this time with orders for bed rest for real (no more bargained for "light activity").

So Coach is back hanging out with us today, and we will need help for the foreseeable future (Mommy is aiming to NOT have Squishy before the New Year). Mommy might not get to come with us to the circus on Saturday (although she is really going to try, and will be asking her doctor at her follow-up appointment tomorrow), and we are a bit more cooped up than usual, but we are all okay.

Don't worry - we'll be back to our regularly scheduled cute anecdotes, and pictures of my big boy room soon!

Luck

2011-12-06T13:32:00.004-05:00

My family is lucky in SO many ways. We have a place to live and food to eat, and enough money left over for a few luxuries and to give to people who are less fortunate. We are happy, and mostly healthy, and have loads of friends and family nearby. SO many people have offered us help and support over the past few days, and we feel completely loved and blessed to live within the community we do and have such amazing people surrounding us.

Uncle David dropped everything to bring Mommy a phone charger in the hospital when she was feeling alone and isolated.

Daddy, who has unfortunately had to miss a bunch of classes this semester, is working with an amazingly understanding professor.

Grandma has taken in Henry, who has temporarily been abandoned for the lack of ability to give him proper care at home.

Coach and Aunt Angela and Aunt Angela 2.0 have all rearranged their schedules multiple times in order to be available to watch me while Mommy has to head to yet another doctor's appointment - or just give her a chance to nap, and continue to do so while our situation is up in the air.

We are so, so, so fortunate to have people around us that are ready and willing to inconvenience themselves for our sake.

And yet? Mommy and I are still struggling. It feels *incredibly* ungrateful to be stressed out and unhappy and downright cranky & mean in the face of so much kindness, but that is where we are.

I am 2, and therefore have a pretty good excuse to be thrown off by all of these changes to my routine; I have been a whiny, clingy, demanding mess since Mommy came home. Unfortunately, Mommy has kind of been the same way, without having being a toddler as an excuse.

If one more person tells her to relax and enjoy bed rest, for example, she may throw that person out the window.

*Maybe* there are some circumstances that enforced bed rest would be relaxing, but this right here? Not one of them.

Mommy is NOT relaxed watching everyone else pick up her slack. She is keenly aware that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities - and while it is not due to laziness and no one is blaming her, she is overwhelmingly frustrated that she cannot follow through on promises and obligations. Also? People are being forced to change their schedules in order to accommodate us - and Coach may end up canceling the vacation he looks forward to all year.

Mommy is NOT relaxed watching people do things differently. Mommy and I? We're kind of OCD. We have routines and patterns and Ways We Do Things. While putting the wrong pair of sneakers on me, or allowing me to watch Mickey Mouse in the morning rather than after nap is not likely to cause lasting damage, it is NOT What We Do. More stress and frustration.

Mommy is NOT relaxed looking ahead to the coming weeks/months. Not only would bed rest be difficult under the best circumstances, this is our *busiest* time of year; we have obligations both major (the SHOW) and minor (Mommy promised me we would make cookies and take them to the fire house) that are rapidly being discarded. We are missing out on both things we HAVE to do, but also on the small parts of the holiday season that we have looked forward to. Plus, Daddy is super busy at work - it's finals time both for the students he teaches and for himself, and he is bearing the brunt of our crankiness at home. He came home yesterday after working a full day AND teaching a lesson in the evening only to make dinner, clean it up, and take on bedtime. He is doing *everything* and his thanks? Mommy yelled at him because I spilled apple juice and she dropped a spaghetti sauce jar lid, neither of which was his fault. There was a point where she and I were both dissolved in tears and poor Daddy was probably contemplating moving to Brazil. The *reward* at the end of all of this "rest and relaxation" will be Baby Squishy - and we will all love her and be grateful for a happy and healthy baby, but adding a newborn to any situation is not really known to relieve stress.

Mommy is NOT relaxed watching me struggle to communicate. Mommy and I are used to being on our own. She speaks Cole-bonics fairly well and can usually spot tantrums coming in time to head them off. Daddy doesn't always have this same ESP, and it's driving her crazy that he can't read my mind. Again, unfair to Daddy. She *knows* what to do and gets irrationally angry that he's not doing it before she has asked. Also, *I* really don't want anyone but Mommy sometimes, and it bothers her to be too tired and run down to pick me up or attend to some simple thing that I want.

Mommy is NOT relaxed not having a concrete plan. Mommy is a goal-oriented person; we evaluate what needs to be done and do it. She is decidedly impatient with last minute changes in general, and does not really understand people who don't do at least SOME advance planning - this is in regards to everything: home life, job responsibilities, entertainment, etc. This whole situation has been very touch and go, and "well we'll see," and nebulous, and Mommy? NEEDS some structure.

We are, all of us, being stretched to our limits. We are cranky and tired and short-tempered, despite being helped as much as anyone possibly could be. So there's another thing making us feel terrible - ingratitude.

Unprepared

2011-12-05T09:49:00.001-05:00

I *would* say that maybe you'd noticed a blog silence over the last few days, but I've been such a terrible baby blogger the last few months, that my sad ONE post last week has gotten to be par for the course around here.

At any rate, at least this week I had a *reason* for not checking in - many of you who are friends with Mommy on Facebook, or follow me over there, or follow me on Twitter probably know *most* of what's been going on through the cryptic status messages that have been flying since Thursday, but I'll post a more coherent clarification here now. (Since FB switched formats and no longer lists status updates chronologically, a TON of people were confused about what was going on with Mommy.)

We? did not have such a great weekend.

On Thursday morning, Mommy's doctor called and asked her to come in for a few hours of monitoring and a blood test; her platelet levels on some lab work that she had completed on Monday were lower than he wanted to see, and given the fact that she developed HELLP in her pregnancy with me, he wanted to proceed with caution. HELLP is a syndrome associated with preeclampsia, and is characterized by Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelet count. The only known treatment is delivery, and without treatment it can be life-threatening. So, yeah - the lowered platelet count combined with Mommy's pregnancy induced hypertension set off some alarm bells.

Fun times.

"A few hours of monitoring" rapidly turned into the very real possibility of delivering Squishy that night, at 32.5 weeks gestation. Mommy was even given steroid shots and a magnesium drip to help aid in Squishy's development in the event that she had to have an emergency c-section. They checked and rechecked her platelet levels and blood pressure, and kept a constant monitor on Squishy. Mommy met with the head of the NICU, who gave her a book about preemie babies, and she nearly lost it entirely when a hospital admin gave her an information folder which included a birth certificate worksheet. Poor Daddy was trapped in class about an hour and a half away, but he rushed down to the hospital the first chance he could.

Fortunately, at the last minute, her levels evened out somewhat, and she was able to avoid surgery for now. She was kept at the hospital until late Saturday evening, being monitored, and was only released with the promise to return today for more testing. Until that time, she is on bed rest, and under strict instructions not to "over do it." We are all sincerely hopeful, and relatively certain that these restrictions will be modified or even removed entirely after her appointment. Bed rest is *really* not going to be good for Mommy's mental health, let alone her blood pressure numbers; she is DEFINITELY a control freak, and would much rather do something herself than a) let someone else do it a different way or b) take the time to show them how to do it "right."

On the positive end of things, ALL of Squishy's testing has come back totally normal - she is growing perfectly and not in any distress at all. The only reason to deliver would be because of a danger to Mommy's health, and we will be fighting to keep her as an inside baby for as long as possible - we do NOT want a new baby for 2011.

This experience has highlighted ALL of the ways in which we are totally unprepared for Squishy's arrival:

Mommy does not have a hospital bag packed. Seriously though, who DOES at 33 weeks? This was problematic, though, because poor Daddy was trying to bring her things in the hospital and didn't really know what she wanted. Or where to find them. Also, her phone completely died within the first few hours of being in the hospital on Thursday, leaving her with no way to call Grammy Boo or Daddy - thank goodness she had thought to bring her iPad with her, and that Uncle David works nearby and was able to bring her a charger. I'm pretty sure we will be taking the charger every where we go from now on, just in case.

I spent the night at Grammy Boo and Coach's house - good thing I practiced that for the VERY first time last week! Mommy didn't know when she dropped me off that she would be gone for days, though, so I spent the first night sleeping in my clothes and Grammy Boo had to do a late night grocery run for my organic milk and some things that I like to eat.

NOBODY but Mommy knows how to clean my sippy cups and put them back together.

We *have* most of the gear that Squishy will need because most of it is hand-me-downs, but NONE of it is assembled or installed or in any sort of state of readiness. Again? We are supposed to have at LEAST another month.

This was by FAR the longest time I have ever spent away from Mommy. Daddy took me to visit her in the hospital briefly on Friday and on Saturday, but I spent most of the time watching The Little Mermaid with Coach. I held my own, but I was completely off my routine - I didn't nap for any of the 3 days, and slept super late on Friday morning. I insisted on calling Mommy on Friday night before bed, and had hit my limit by the time I was sleepy on Saturday; I spent some cranky time looking for her. All I really wanted to do was go home to "Mommy's house." I was SO happy to see her on Sunday morning, at home, that I spent most of they day clinging and climbing on her. I was entirely displeased every time she left the room. She has her follow-up doctor's appointment today, and we are hoping that everything calms down a bit.

So that was our weekend. Sigh.

27 Months

2011-11-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

Hi. Can I first apologize for being a total bloggy slacker? *I* would be all about getting new content up on here, but *someone* (::cough::Mommy::cough::) is all exhausted all the time - apparently growing Squishy has depleted all of her energy?

Couldn't possibly be because I have given up napping and pretty much run All Day Long, right?

No, I'm going to go with it must be Squishy's fault.

We have done a TON in the past month, and really haven't kept you posted on much of it - for example, we got away for the weekend to Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, and I have yet to show you pictures of me pretty much taking over the waterpark - or told you how the nearby town of Lake George TOTALLY shuts down in the winter, so much so that the local McDonald's was closed! Not that we would have dined there anyway, but who's ever heard of a seasonal McDonald's?!

I managed to fall and chip my two front teeth, but caused no major damage. Luckily they're baby teeth anyway, but we did take a visit to Dr. Andy to check them out...

We had a big Thanksgiving, AND I had my very first sleepover at Grammy Boo and Coach's house without Mommy and Daddy!

Let's see, 27 months stats... While I can get away with 2T shirts in some brands, I'm still mostly rocking 24 month clothes - or even 18 month pants! I wear a size 5 diaper, and have no immediate plans for potty training - especially since most big boy undies don't come in my size... I weigh between 25 and 26 pounds, and am probably around 33" tall, but Mommy hasn't measured me in a while, so don't quote me on that.

Time to check in with BabyCenter:

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)

Jumps with both feet - Please, Baby Center, give me a challenge! Jumping? Totally old news.

Opens doors - I can only open the kind with the lever handles. Mommy is not teaching me the other kind either, because you KNOW that will only facilitate midnight escapes!

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)

Understands descriptions (e.g., big, soft) - Yup. I can compare sizes, colors, and some shapes.

Draws a vertical line - Sometimes. Get off my back with the drawing milestones, BC! Some of us are more athletically than artistically inclined.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)

Starts to recognize ABCs - Not entirely sure what you mean by this; I ALWAYS tell Mommy when I see text (on signs, in books, on shirts, etc.), but I can only pick out a few letters consistently. I'm pretty good at finding C's and S's, but I'm not going to be alphabetizing my picture books anytime soon.

Balances on one foot - I'm not really positive I've even tried this, but Mommy's pretty sure if I wanted to, I could. Is this something we're supposed to be working on? Should I be practicing yoga in the time that was formerly reserved for napping?

Coming Soon: my picks for toddler and baby holiday gifts - Cole's 2nd Annual Gift Guide is coming at you!

Happy Thanksgiving - Thousand Word Thursday

2011-11-24T10:18:00.001-05:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.

2010

Strengths & Weaknesses

2011-11-17T09:51:00.002-05:00

I ran about 10 minutes after I taught myself to walk, I have been able to jump for for-ev-er, and I am oh-so-verbal. I can do a somersault, identify a bunch of different types of dinosaurs, and count to 10 (well. only if you're not so picky about "5"). I sleep in a Big Boy bed, can climb up rope ladders, and make friends easily.

Dude. I can drive a tractor.

There are a LOT of things I am good at.

Sitting still and quietly listening to a story? Not so much.

I *love* books. I come by it naturally; Mommy used to smuggle books to summer camp, and got into trouble for reading rather than running around at recess - she worked at a library in high school, and Grandma still does! And Daddy? He's an English teacher! We have a ton of books in our house, and I had a fully stocked children's lit library before I was born. One of my favorite things to do is sit with someone to look over my favorite books, and I tend to read to myself in bed if I wake up when Mommy says it's still sleepy time.

In my Big Boy Bed with a few of my favorite things: Mickey tucked in, Elmo & Sugarplum (in a rare hatless moment - don't worry, I'm clutching her hat in my hand for morning), and 3 or 4 board books.

Mommy and I have been hitting the story time circuit for a l-o-n-g time now - most of time we go to Tales & Tunes for Tiny Tots at our local library, but the crowd in there has gotten a little younger, and the "tunes" are getting kind of stale. Tales & Tunes is geared towards "walkers to 36 months," but it seems like most of the other kids in there are on the younger end of that spectrum, so Mommy thought it might be time to move to the next age level.

Unfortunately, at the ripe old age of 2, I seem to have hit my awkward years already! Most of the local programming is geared towards infants or for kids 3 and up. Sigh. Family Storytime, for ages 2 to 5, seemed like it would be the answer - "Stories, songs, puppets, and more!" Unfortunately, *most* of the kids in there seem to be a little older than me. They sit quietly in their mom's laps, while I? don't.

I want to clarify that I don't mean I spend the whole time running around screaming. I am simply... enthusiastic. I don't want to sit placidly in Mommy's lap - I want to sit *right* in front, at the feet of the librarian. I don't want to wait for the librarian to read ALL the words - I want to point out the pictures, or make pithy comments about the plot. ("Oh no! No eat a bug! YUCK!")

Apparently, they want to stifle all of the individuality out of a kid, because twice in 2 weeks, Mommy has removed me from storytime - probably right before we were asked to leave. No wonder so many upper level scholars can't write a comprehensive literary criticism - who is fostering their critical thinking?! Mommy usually just takes me to the other room of the children's section, where she tries to make me feel better by telling me I can pick out a book and read with her, but I am generally heartbroken. "Storytime!"

So, we are still looking for a story hour that's a good fit for me - and in the meantime, Mommy says I will have to work on my ability to sit still and be a quiet listener. Apparently this skill will come in handy in nursery school next year... So we will be at Family Storytime again next week, and will hope to last longer than a few pages.

Squishy Update

2011-11-16T10:26:00.000-05:00

Mommy has entered the home stretch of pregnancy, and Squishy will be here before we know it. In less than 10 weeks, I am going to be a big brother! (So, that makes me the middle child, right? Because Henry was here first...)

Anyway, we have gotten a *teensy* bit further in our preparations and Mommy has pulled back from full blown panic mode, to just super stressed and anxious.

*I* am totally ready for a new baby in the house. I dote on Max's baby sister, Sarah, and last week at the mall? I totally soothed a baby we didn't even know! (She was crying in her stroller and I patted her leg and said "okay, baby, no crying." Mommy said that maybe we should stick to patting only babies we've met before...) I drag Sugarplum around like it's my job, and am constantly sharing my snacks with her. I am VERY careful to make sure that her hat is always on, and almost never let Henry chew on her. I like to give her kisses.

I might be the only one fully prepared.

Should we check in?

I moved into my Big Boy bed, leaving the crib free and moved and ready into Mommy & Daddy's room. Of course, as soon as it moved in there, it became a storage unit for random baby gear with no other place to go, so it's no more ready to be slept in by Squishy than before, but at least I'm not using it anymore.

IF she gets somewhere to sleep, then she better not get too comfy; the changing facilities in there have not improved at all. The plan is to set up a changing pad on Mommy's dresser and stash a basket of diapering supplies in there for overnight diaper issues. So far, though? No such pad or basket exist. Also? The surface of her dresser is covered by a big, unused tv, and a litter of earring backings, old receipts, and ponytail holders - none of which is spectacularly newborn friendly.

One thing Mommy HAS done, though? Shopping. *I* happen to like my clothing and think I look pretty dapper most of the time, but apparently baby girl clothes? Whole different level of cute. Mommy is on some sort of pink-ruffly-tushie high; we have amassed a wardrobe that should last until spring - or at least until Squishy grows out of 0-3 months. We hit the sale at The Children's Place last week pretty hard, and the only thing we have left to get is a few pairs of jammies (my winter pajamas will probably be too big for her - I was born in August, so my teeny-tiny stuff is mostly sleeveless...). Some of our favorite pieces?

Fleece hoodie? Cute. With Ears? Yes. please! And it matches teeny tiny fleece pants with ruffles on the tushie? Woohoo!

Baby Sarah has one of these hooded fair isle sweaters, and Mommy totally threatened to break into Michele's house and steal it in the middle of the night. Multiple times. We saw it on clearance, though, and decided that purchasing one of our own would be a better option - we really like Michele and theft would probably drive a wedge there. (But for the fleece lining and pom pom on the hood? It might have been worth it.)

These are neither pink nor ruffled, so they might be a little out of place in Squishy's wardrobe... but teeny-tiny jeggings? SERIOUSLY? These might be Mommy's favorite purchase so far.

So Squishy may be sleeping in a box on the floor because her crib is full of junk, and she'll have to navigate the obstacle course of Mommy's dresser-top for a dry diaper, but she's going to be really well dressed!

I am totally prepared and qualified to give Squishy some fashion tips:
1) Hat > No Hat
2) Don't stress too much if your pants are *always* too big.
3) Shirts? Totally optional.

Daylight Saving Time

2011-11-14T10:12:00.000-05:00

So. Remember how I used to write all sorts of "state of the sleep" posts? Guess what? It's time for another one!

I made the official switch to my Big Boy Bed about 2 weeks ago, and Mommy was really pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the whole thing went. Bedtime? We have down! I climb happily into my bed and snuggle in every evening. Naptime? Well, I spend quiet time in my room each day, but I don't necessarily sleep. This is mostly okay with Mommy, but it has led to some sort of cranky evenings...

A few thoughts:

I don't generally stay tucked in all nice up at the pillow. I use *all* of my available space over the course of the night.

With the switch out of the crib, Mommy wanted to be able to see what I was getting up to in my room, and our old monitor was just audio. We still have that one for when Squishy joins the family, but based on recommendations from WeeMasonsMom and Nicci, Mommy got a new WiFi webcam for my room. It was about half the price of a video baby monitor, and it works great! It has night vision, and works over our home network, so Mommy and Daddy can spy on me from their computers or even their iPhones!

I'm not always sleeping in there...

All of this was working out *really* well for the first few days, but last weekend was Daylight Saving Time, and all of a sudden there is SO much light in the mornings! I have gone from sleeping in until 8 or 8:30, to rising with the birds at 6. And, since I'm not confined by my crib anymore, I can get out and play with my trains, or bang on my door until Mommy comes to let me out.

Mommy is not loving our new morning routine. Hopefully, we get back into the swing of things soon - in the meantime, I love my new freedom! Aside from our difference in opinion over appropriate waking time, Mommy and I are very similar sleepers; we both sleep in odd positions and take up the whole bed...

...and we both like to snuggle up with a good book!

What a Difference a Week Makes - Thousand Word Thursday

2011-11-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.

These are both outfits that I wore outside.

Mommy Moves Mountains...

2011-11-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

...or at least minor holidays. I know that all the better baby bloggers did their Halloween posting last week, but we do things differently around here, so I hope you'll bear with me.

We had plans to go to six different Halloween events this year, so Mommy worked hard at making my costume and then actually made a matching one for herself - even Henry was all set to get in the spirit. And then? We didn't make it to any of our planned outings.

So we went trick-or-treating on Sunday, and it was totally fine. We *tried* to take supercute pictures, but given a combination of my mid-afternoon crankies, too bright lighting in Grammy Boo's driveway, and general toddler and dog shenanigans, well... You'll see.

I? was Woody. Duh.

Mommy was Jesse.

Henry? He was Buzz.

So, yeah. Some of our details were a bit off - and Henry's wings were not rigid like they were supposed to be, but all in all, I think we looked pretty cute.

What's that? You want to see more poorly lit, blurry, outdated pictures? Can do!

I spent about 45 minutes RUNNING up and down Coach and Grammy Boo's driveway.

Henry mostly stood around looking handsome. Or ridiculous. One of the two.

We totally failed at taking a group shot.

Aaaaaaaand, just a few more of me. Because who are we kidding? You're here for the cute, right?

Have Halloween pics? Leave me a link in my comments and I'd love to stop by and check 'em out!

Buh bye!

Who has a theme idea for us for next year?

A to Z of Me!

2011-11-07T09:43:00.002-05:00

This meme has been floating around my bloggy friends for a while, and I figured since I took a week off to spend with my family, and I have so many new readers recently, it might be nice to make a little bit of an introduction here...

A. Age: 26 months
B. Bed size: Twin
C. Chore that you hate: The only chore I really have is to put away my toys when I'm done with them; most of the time I don't mind, but sometimes Mommy thinks I'm done playing when I am NOT.
D. Dogs: my big brother, Henry!
E. Essential start to your day: Sesame Street, my sippy cup of milk, and some fruit
F. Favorite color: Not sure if they are my *favorites,* but I find blue and yellow most easy to identify consistently
G. Gold or Silver: I don't really have a preference...
H. Height: 33”
I. Instruments you play: bongo drums at Music for Aardvarks!
J. Job title: ~~toddler~~ family tyrant
K. Kids: I AM a kid - I'm getting a baby sister, Squishy, in January!
L. Live: Rockland County, NY
M. Mother’s name: Mommy (or Sarah to other grown-ups)
N. Nicknames: Cole (my full name is Nicholas), Baby Bear, Bunny, Bunny Bear, Grumpy Pants
O. Overnight hospital stays: just when I was born!
P. Pet peeves: anything that does not go EXACTLY my way.
Q. Quote from a movie: "To infinity and beyond!" ~ Toy Story
R. Right or left handed: So far, I'm kind of ambidextrous - apparently handedness is not *entirely* apparent until you're about 3...
S. Siblings: Squishy, coming soon
T. Time you wake up: usually between 8 and 9 or so
U. Underwear: size 5 Pampers - even if I was ready for potty training, it would be pretty hard - big boy undies don't even come in my size!
V. Vegetable you hate: It kind of depends on my mood. I do *love* broccoli, though..
W. What makes you run late: Daddy! Mommy and I can be standing in the front hall with our coats on, ready to go, and Daddy always is attending to some vital last minute detail which ends up taking 15 minutes while I am rapidly losing patience
X. X-Rays you’ve had: I had a chest x-ray last winter because of my "failure to thrive" diagnosis, but it was all clear.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Remember all the way up at the letter A? I am only 2! I don't really do a lot of cooking - I make a mean green Play Doh spaghetti, but I don't recommend you actually eat it...
Z. Zoo animal: all of them! I love going to the zoo - I guess if I HAD to choose, the sea lions are a top pick, but I really just like going to visit everyone. (except, maybe, the meerkats - do you guys remember my SONG?!)

Goodbye, Grandpa

2011-10-29T10:08:00.002-04:00

Grandpa passed away last night, after a month-long struggle in the ICU. He will be missed, and our family really appreciates your continued thoughts and prayers.

Daddyback Ride - Thousand Word Thursday

2011-10-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

You know how a picture is worth a thousand words? Thursday posts showcase a favorite photo, past or present, of me and/or my family and friends.