A View from the Floor

Hi everyone!

So, its been 4 weeks since Conor joined our family.  Erin has been writing all about Conor's updates but I'm here to tell you what we have all been up to.

Erin has been home everyday which has been awesome!  I love having her home.  What do I love most of all?  I love having her home and not in her office!  She has been hanging out with me in the living room and not stuck in her office all day doing whatever it is she does in there.

Conor has been in the living room too.  Sometimes Erin puts him on the floor so that he can hang out.  I sometimes sniff him but I have to tell you - he doesn't smell all that great most of the time and so there is no way I am kissing him!

But when he is on the floor, I am very careful to make sure that no one else comes near him without getting past me first.  Here I am at Christmas making sure that Erin and Josh didn't step on him (plus his toy is very soft to sit on)!

It's such hard work protecting a baby that sometimes I get a little sleepy on the job.

Sometimes a big brother has to lecture the little ones about the rules of the house - like no crying during mid-morning naps!  That Baby Conor sometimes doesn't like to nap and I have to tell him that if he can't nap then he has to sit quietly because I need MY nap!

All-in-all it hasn't been that bad having a baby here in the house but we do have to work on the crying thing!

xoxo

Hunter

It's a Wrap!

Dear Conor,

Your dog Hunter is crazy!!!  He just loves all of your things.  When your carseat is on the floor he enjoys jumping into it and will settle down and nap in it (we are very careful to keep him out of it on more occassions - we don't want him jumping onto you!).  His new favorite place in the house is the blue bed for him in your room.  When I get out of the shower or am brushing my teeth if he is not right at my feet he is curled up in that bed in your room.

Hunter has always loved to be held (which is a funny thing because when we adopted him we were told he was not a lap dog).  So when your MOBY wrap arrived I thought I would get some practice using it and instead of a doll I figured I would try it with Hunter because he can wiggle and move just like a baby.  Well, once he was in it he didn't want to get out.  He loved being so close to me and it was very comfortable to walk around the house with him in it.  Since taking the above picture we have practiced two more times and I am confident that I like this wrap very much (THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE JILL!!!) and that if you love it as much as Hunter does then we will have a very good time shopping in places your carriage just can't go!

One week from tomorrow kiddo and you should be just about ready to be here if you aren't already - and I can't wait!

xoxo
Mom

Baby Shower

Dear Conor,

I was 100% right that your Grandma Janet was up to something (as was your Grandpa Tom)!  This past Sunday I went to your Grandpa Tom's house and there were many people waiting to shower you with gifts.  It was a very nice afternoon and I got to meet some of Grandma Janet's friends for the first time and visit with some that I hadn't seen since my bridal shower.

I do have some pictures but I have not had a chance to upload them.  Also, I want to take a picture of each gift you received but we left everything at your Grandpa Tom's until the nursery is able to be completed.  I have Friday off so I intend to work on it then and hopefully bring everything home early next week!

I will post pictures as soon as I am able to because it really was a wonderful day and I am so thankful to everyone that helped make it such a special event.

xoxo
Mom

PS.  Hunter also came to the shower and spend a lot of time on the floor with your friend Ryan - I think you and Hunter are going to get along just fine :)

Week 19

Dear Avacado,

This past week was a very busy week for the both of us!  It was so busy that I am going to give you a play-by-play:

Monday, July 11
The day started out normal, we went to work and got a few things done at Court and then it was time to take a trip to the Cape to pick up Aunt Danielle.  We got to the Cape and did some more work at Grandma Mary's (we organized pictures on my computer) and then it was time to pick Aunt Danielle up from work (we also got an ice cream!)  The drive back to Maine was pretty fun but since we got home late we went to bed pretty early. 

Tuesday, July 12
Today we got up pretty early because we had to go to the doctor's office in Portland in order to have the anatomy scan done.  The wait was long (they were running almost an hour behind) and the lady who did the scanning didn't have the best bedside manner (she wasn't very friendly and didn't explain much of what she was doing) but we did get to see various parts of you (your hands, feet, face) and you stayed still enough that we were able to tell what you were!  Josh was team pink and Aunt Danielle and I were team blue.  We all took a deep breath and then learned that you are a BOY!

That afternoon we went shopping and I made the first clothing purchase.  Your first outfit was purchased at the Carter's Outlet in Freeport, Maine.  It is a navy blue newborn sized pajama (with feet) with little while outlines of elephants on it.  There is also a little gray elephant patch sewn on above a patch that says "I love Mommy".  I also bought you some no-scratch mittens that matched.  Here is a picture of your first outfit and a close-up of the little patch.

Wednesday, July 13
You and I worked a lot today.  While we worked Josh and Hunter drove Auntie Danielle back down to the Cape.  They got back late (after we had already been home and taken a nap!).  We were all very tired from the adventures the day before and the fact that it was so hot Tuesday night that no one got that much sleep.  So, we went to bed early!

Thursday, July 14
Today we shared with Grandma Janet and Grandma Mary that you were going to be a BOY!  They were both very excited to hear that and Grandma Mary couldn't want to tell me that she couldn't wait to get you your own RED SOX hat!  Other than that it was just a regular work day!

Friday, July 15
My 31st birthday morning was spent at the doctor's office just checking in on weight gain and checking measurements.  Since my last doctor's appointment I gained 8.5 pounds which is a perfect weight gain for this period of time I was told and because of that you and I are both measuring perfect!  Our next doctor's appointment for check-ups will be in August. 

I did not expect to be pregnant on my 31st birthday but I will say that I am very happy that I am because I am looking forward to being your mom and spending all future birthdays with you!

Saturday, July 16
Today we had a party in order to celebrate my birthday and make the announcement to all our friends and families that you were a little boy.  The party started at 1pm and I asked everyone to come wearing a shirt in the color of the gender they thought you were.  Here is the breakdown:

Team Blue: Auntie Cathlin, Jarrod, Grandma Janet, Kelly, Grandpa Tom, Ryan & Justin Fillip, Ana
Team Pink: Grandpa Dennis, Great-Grandma Irene, Aunt Kris, Beth, Sophie Fillip
Unclear: Uncle Justin (he wore black/orange) and Jill (she wore khaki)

We broke the news by having Grandpa Tom break open a cupcake that I had filled with blue frosting in front of everyone.  Grandpa Tom was very excited as was everyone else (even those on Team Pink).  Your party was a lot of fun and you received many gifts (I will put these in another post). 

By the time everyone left Josh, Hunter, and I were exhausted so we ended up just watching a movie on TV and going to bed.

Sunday, July 17
Today you went to your first movie.  We saw Transformers - The Dark Side of the Moon.

So there is a recap of your very busy week!

xoxo
Erin

Week 17 Recap

Dear Avacado,

Week 17 came and went very fast.  It was during this week that you began to make your presence known more and more.  I had to purchase maternity clothes and there was evidence of a little "bump" right above my pelvic bone that didn't go away after a long night sleep.

Sleep has started to get a little more difficult.  I tend to like to sleep on my right side and usually wake up on my back.  However, you seem to prefer me to sleep on my left or almost on my stomach supported by a pillow - you do not like me on my back and you love to give me heartburn if I dare try to lay that way. :)

You and I are eating well.  We start our day with a bowl of cereal - the sugary the better (you really like lucky charms).  A few hours later we tend to have a snack of some sort (either grapes or a special K protein drink).  Then, its onto lunch - this is still the hardest meal for us to eat because of my work so we often find ourselves eating a blend of differnent things.  Snack comes a few hours later followed by another snack at around 5pm.  We try to eat dinner between 6:30 and 7:30 and then another snack before 9pm.  I seem to be much hungrier at night which I believe comes from the fact that I am so busy during the work day that we don't get to eat as much as we should.

I have not really experienced any true "cravings".  Some of the things I really like to eat are (1) green grapes (2) pineapple (3) celery (4) grilled corn and potato (5) strawberries.  Some of the things that don't seem to sit well are (1) chocolate (2) bread (3) baked chicken (4) oily foods. 

As far as weight gain - I think our scale is off so I will have to wait till the doctor's appointment on July 8th to find out if all our eating is helping.  I think it is but only their scale will tell.  :)

xoxo
Erin